Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1921-06-30
CRASSHOPPERS
A REAL MENACE
WILL CAUSE MUCH DAMAGE TO
BOUNDARY COUNTY CROPS
UNLESS FOUGHT
EXPERT URGES PROMPT ACTION
Says They Can Be Controlled IL
Everyone VIII Act.

e. V. Jones of the state extension
department at Boise, was in Bonner.
Ferry last week and took active step,
to begin the fight against the threat
ened grasshopper pest. The grasshop
pers are appearing in countless thous
ands in few localities and only in {
few fields, but the danger from then
nevertheless is great.
County Commissioner w. E. Ratf
reports he has a six or seven acre
tract infested with them on his rancf
at Porthill and they are also present or
the Alfred Johnson place. Mr.. Ratf
states they are so numerous that as
one walks through the infested tract
they sound like sandpaper rubbing
against ones trousers. AS yet they
are too young to do much damage, not
having reached the flying stage. Last
year they completely destroyed six OF
seven acres of barley for Mr.. Rath
and this year he is taking no chances
He is conducting a poisoning cam
paign against them and feels confident
he will get rid of the hoppers before
they do much damage. Last fall he
noticed thousands of the insects eggs
over the affected area and said they
looked as though someone had scat
tered the ground very freely with
wheat, the eggs having the appearance
of kernel of wheat
Earl Newton, in the Curley Creek
district, counted 200 of the insects in
square foot of ground They are also
present in some fields in Paradise
Valley.
The grasshoppers are real menace
and If allowed to multiply will ulti-
mately cause thousands of dollars
worth of damage, Whenever they ap-
pear the farmers should at once exert
every effort to eradicate them. County
Clerk Brody has a number of pamph-
let's giving directions for conducting
the fight against them and would be
glad to distribute the pamphlets to all
who desire them.
Mr.. Jones said, "The grasshopper is
here to stay unless immediate steps
are taken to eradicate it," and while
in Bonners Ferry gave the following
directions for the fight against them:
Cooperation is necessary rs soon
as the grasshoppers are large enough
10 lily no farm is safe no matter how
Tar remote from the Matching beds
One can readily see just why all in the
community should be concerned
"One grasshopper killed now will
prevent 25 or 80 from Matching next
spring. Do not live in hopes that they
will die out. Profit by the experience
of others who have hoped the same
M rcf
and action was absolutely necessary
II all the grasshopper beds are
poisoned now there will be none left
to do damage next year.
ITO poison an acre heavily infested
costs but few cents, and few min
utes work. The poison gets them.
Can you find cheaper insurance
anywhere? Do it now.
"The formula recommended by the
University of Idaho extension division
is as follows:
Mix dry 25 pounds of bran or saw
dust with one pound of Paris Green.
White arsenic may be used in place
OF Paris Green. and in fact, is much
cheaper. White arsenic is not lead
arsenic used to spray fruit trees. 1t
~ a ulllGlCnl dipGniO Odil, oO NC oNhT
to get the right thing before you use
it. After mixing the bran and the
poison thoroughly prepare sort of
lemonade made up Of between two and
three gallons Of water and one and
one-half to three pounds of strong,
black molasses and one-half dozen
ground lemons or oranges or other
fruit.
''Then as you need poison bait for
the grasshoppers, dampen the poison
bran mixture with the lemonade. The
best way to do this is to put the poison
bran mixture in a zinc tub and
sprinkle the lemonade over it, or pour
on small quantity Of lemonade at a
time, and then with rolled up sleeves
mix and stir the bran until every par
ticle of bran is dampened with lemon
ade. Be sure not to mix a soggy mash.
The mash should be just wet enough
so that it will roll broadcast easily.
and also hold the poison to the bran
particles.
THE grasshoppers are not so active
in the early morning or in the late
afternoon as they are in the middle OF
the day, so it is better to broadcast
fresh prepared poison bran early in
the morning or late in the afternoon
Grasshoppers will leave any green ma
terial to eat of the strong smelling
sweet poison bran particles. You will
have hard time seeing the bran
after 1t is scattered over the ground
but it will be there and will get the
results. From IL TO "a hours after
the bran is scattered and the grass
hoppers have eaten Of it, they will be-
gin to die and you will find them
everywhere. Be sure to scatter it be-
fore them II they are travelling in g
certain direction or with the wind.
1.-TWO pounds of arsenic, one gallor
of syrup and so pounds of saw-dusi
is estimated will cover 16 acres Of
ground.
Persons interested may secure the
poison through the farm bureau or oul
county clerk, ]. B. Brody. The arsenic
will cost you 1Sc per pound and tn,
syrup 75c per gallon. The formula