The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1920-01-01
W. r. Conger = r. w. Mitchell
Editors and Owners
Entered at the Nexperce, Idaho, Post
office a. Second Glass Nail Mattor.
DEMONSTRATED VALUE
OF A COUNTY AGENT.
Lewis County Big Gamer BY
Farmer Agent, as Shown
in State Report.

The following story Of tn
grasshopper fight and other Farr
Agent activities in Lewis count,
the past year is sent out by Il,
Boise headquarters of the Univer
isity Agricultural Department
and is good to read and think ov
er at this time: a.
Boise, Idaho, Dee. 29-Grass
hopper killing in Lewis count.
last summer saved crops wortl
1927, OPT; the whole expenditure
of the university extension divi
sion for the year was only 1926,
1888; the total appropriation 0.
state money for the extension di
vision for the biennium was 1906,
900. This comparison was made
at the offices of the University Of
Idaho extension division Satur
day, to show that enough hao
been saved by the killing of grass
hoppers in one county to more
than pay for the years extension
work in the entire state.
"A total of 3175 pounds OF
white arsenite, 600 pounds OF
Paris, green, 1900 dozen lemons,
1900 gallons of molasses and
about 5000 pounds Of bran were
used in this campaign" says a
report on the Lew;S county grass
hopper campaign, from County
Agent A. e. Wade. "The cost
of materials was about $4,000, and
it is estimated that the labor Of
mixing and applying the poison
would be about the same, making
total cost Of about $4,000
"The number of acres actually
destroyed in the county was S32
and a total acreage treated, 6752,
and when it is taken into consid-
Grafton that the area treated was
little more than the actual area
upon which the 'hoppers were
Matching by millions, one can
form some sort of an idea Of the
number of hoppers that were
poisoned in this campaign.
ION one farm where a count
was made, over 300 dead grass
hoppers were found in space the
size Of a mans hat.
"The saving of crops, figuring
on the basis of reports received
from A. farmers who used about
1918 per cent of the total amount
of poison sold for this purpose,
was 1899, OFT. Subtracting the ex-
pense of materials and the work
leaves a net saving on crops of
1927 OPT.
From the quantity of grass
hopper eggs laid during the fall
Of 1918 it was apparent that there
would be a large number Of hop
pers to fight during 1919. Con-
sequently at winter meetings the
matter was discussed and orders
were taken for poison by the
community committeeman in pest
control.
con May Z, posters were put
up in conspicuous places in the
county, articles were published in
the county papers and letters |
we're sent to community commit |
;eemen to be on the lookout for
yrasshoppers and to report to the
county agent if demonstrations
we're needed in the community in
he mixing Of poison bait.
Arrangements were also made
With the druggists to furnish ar
enic and molasses at cost plus 10
'er cent and with the grocers to
urnish lemons on the same basis.
INQUIRY also was made to ascer-
ain if there was sufficient bran
n hand to meet the emergency.
Thirteen mixing demonstra-
ions were given in the different
communities in the following
aonth. Pressure was also brot
bear on anyone reported as
aving grasshoppers and not
oisoning them, by having the
eighbors all call him up indivi-
ually and draw his attention to
he matter. This method worked
ut admirably in the few cases re-
orted. In fact, from a. reports
ent in by farmers in the infest 4
d districts, only two reported +
hat the neighbors did not CO.
perate in the work, eight report
! that some did not, and 33 re-
orted the neighbors all cooper
ting. {
This effective campaign is a
olendid example of what may be I
accomplished by cooperation and
lis report would not be complete j
ithout mention of the part play
! by the community committee {
EN- on pest control, who arrang-
for the mixing demonstrations, {
i'd the merchants who furnished 8
le material practically at cost. {
It is considered that the fight {
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