The Saline County Journal

Dr. J. H. Morris Opinion of Grasshoppers.

Dr. J. W. Morris, of the Salina bank, sends the following article to Mr. T. C. Henry, of Abilene, and which is published in the Abilene Chronicle:

Many of our people are indulging in much speculation as to the probable damage to be inflicted by the grasshoppers this season. Having been a resident of the territory scourged by these pests in 1867 and 1874, I have thought it might be well to throw out a few hints to those living in that district where the grasshoppers have deposited their eggs.

In 1866 the territory in which the hoppers deposited eggs in large numbers extended as far east as the Missouri river and westward 75 miles. In 1874 the eastern boundary was 15 to 20 miles east of the Missouri river and extended west nearly 100 miles. The deposit, this season, on the line of the Kansas Pacific railway, extends from Topeka on the east and westward to Ellsworth county. In former years the infected district was completely desolated on its eastern border, while the destruction of vegetation decreased as you went west, until it was scarcely noticed west of Topeka. It is observable that the eastern boundary of deposits last fall is nearly where they ceased in 1874. It is true that west of this line there were many eggs deposited and many hoppers hatched in the spring of 1874, but they were comparatively few. Hence many persons living in this district express but little apprehension of danger from their ravages this year.

I wish to caution all such persons against relying too much on their former experience. The infected belt lies from 80 to 100 miles farther west than in former seasons, and persons living within that belt may rest assured that unless the scourge is averted or modified by a vigorous, united or systematic effort to destroy the pests while young the whole district will be overrun by them—and particularly the eastern portion, where the eggs are numerous.

In 1875 the hoppers hatched out principally from the 15th to the last of April. In the southern part of the state, and in warm sandy soil farther north, a considerable number hatched out last fall, and during the warm weather in February. Most of these have been destroyed. However, the greater portion remain to be hatched, and will hatch, notwithstanding all the reports about addling and freezing out.

In about three weeks after hatching and after the insects have attained about one-fourth to one-third their full growth, they commence a simultaneous movement in one direction—usually the same course taken by the older ones in the fall. They move in solid phalanx, skipping from 10 to 14 inches at a hop, and will travel from 200 to 400 yards each day, starting in the morning about 10 o'clock and stopping to feed about 2 o'clock. During the migratory season they grow rapidly and cause great destruction to vegetation, particularly during the last ten days before flying. This occurs from the 10th to the 20th of June.

The most successful means of destroying these pests that has been tried so far consists in ditching after some systematic plan. It should be borne in mind that the sooner after their hatching you attempt their destruction the easier it is to accomplish and the less damage they will do growing crops. In cultivated fields, where they hatch out in great numbers, by plowing two or three furrows, throwing the dirt out each way, you make a trough which the young hoppers find it difficult to emerge from, after making these troughs sufficiently near the young hoppers can be driven into them and as they accumulate they can be destroyed by drawing a pole attached to a single horse through the furrows from time to time. This is quite an effective plan for the destruction of chinch bugs or very young hoppers.

Later in the season ditches may be dug outside fields and along the line of roads. They should be dug 18 to 20 inches deep and 18 inches wide with perpendicular sides. This will intercept and retain all the hoppers that approach it within the first week after they commence to migrate. There should be a hole dug in the bottom of the ditch every two or three rods, at least one foot deep to gather the hoppers in, and when nearly full, the holes can be filled with dirt and another hole dug by the side of the first.

After the first week of travel the hoppers become so large and strong that ditches will not hold them. There are many high dry points of land where eggs are deposited in great numbers. By adopting either of the foregoing plans of ditching around the points the entire crop of hoppers can be harvested before they reach the surrounding fields.

Burning prairies over where the grass has not been burned will destroy vast numbers of hoppers if parties will wait until the hoppers are hatched out.

It will be impossible to prevent their ravages entirely and hence you will hear many persons say it is useless to attempt to check them. The same course of reasoning would excuse a community for not plowing to kill weeds. The deposit of eggs in Saline and Dickinson is not nearly so great as in counties further east, and on this account there is greater encouragement to work for their destruction. Let me urge you to meet together, and agree with your road overseers on some systematic plan of defense. Our wheat crop is very promising and if we can keep off destructive insects we may expect a rich harvest.