The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1933-11-30
Grasshopper
Peril Feared
Next Year
Survey Discloses Threat of
Pest Invasion Most Serious
in Recent Years
FUNDS BADLY NEEDED
twenty Counties of Mime
sofa Are Listed in the
Infected Zone

A grasshopper destruction Of
crops, possibly more widespread
than ever before, threatens the
northwestern tier Of states next
year.
An invasion that will ruin thou
sands of farmers with attendant
losses Of millions Of dollars will re-
suit unless a well planned defense
peril.
This was the warning of B. e.
Groom, secretary Of the Greater
North Dakota association, in Min
neapolis, Monday. Mr.. Groom said
That expert surveys disclosed that
the infestation of grasshopper eggs
includes North and South Dakota
Minnesota, Wisconsin, Wyoming,
Idaho, Montana and the provinces
OF Alberta, Manitoba and Saskat-
chewan.
1T is an appalling fact" Mr..
Groom asserted, that these sur
veys have shown that the grass
hopper threat is more serious than
ever before. Since 1928 the infes
tation has become more widespread
and the grasshopper population
denser.
Two things are required to
check the swarm1ng invasion of
crops in these states and provinces,
an invasion that will striks at the
very roots of northwest business
and shatter all our efforts to bring
back a normal prosperity.
These two things are: first a
cold winter with plenty Of moisture.
This will do much to kill off the
grasshopper eggs and reduce the
infestation. But the weather Is q
gamble-too much Of a gamble.
The second method Is more prac-
tical and, If carried out In an eff
ficient program, will definitely
check the grasshoppers. That is to
buy poison bait in sufficient guam
titles to cover all the infested
areas.
TO do this we must have money.
In TACT, no less than $1,000, 900. The
only place we can get the money
Is from the administration at WASH
ington. We hope to get it and next
week a delegation representing the
northwest states will go to Wash
ington to make the plea"
All citizens of the northwest
should be brought to understand
how serious the situation Is, Mr
Groom said, and bring all the in
fluence possible to bear in a solu-
ton Of this grave problem.
1T Is easy to be skeptical of
these warnings, but we already
have experienced the evil of dila-
tory and tardy action in crisis like
this. We have had grasshoppers
before and we know what happens
when they get started.
Canada Is going ahead with a
definite program of grasshopper ex-
termination and 1t will be the grav-
est folly if we do not do our part.
The grasshopper does not recognize
border lines, and all that Canada
does may be nullified by our failure
to do ur share"
MI. Groom gave q summary OF
the survey by states on the poison
bait needs, the number Of coun-,
ties infested and the acres that
may need poison.
Idaho, 10 counties and 10000
acres, calling for poison bait at a
cost Of $4,000.
Minnesota, 20 counties and 279,-
1884 acres needing bait at cost Of
81, 676.
Montana, 48 counties and $685.
316 acres, requiring $448, 400 in poi
son bait.
Nebraska, 10 counties and 200
900 acres, requiring $4,000 in poi
son bait.
North Dakota, SO counties and
5,377, $50 acres, requiring $679, 1850.
South Dakota, So counties and
1851 1896 acres, requiring $329,623.
Wyoming, II counties and 841,-
600 acres, requiring s105,200.
Wisconsin, IL counties and 841,-
900 acres, requiring $105,200.
Wisconsin, 35 counties and 800
600 acres, requiring $4,000.
This will bring the total cost Of
poison bait to $1.8S0,593. Mr.. Groom
explained, and the balnace of ST.
100000 will be needed for trans