134 IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE Vol. XXVI, 19 IH 



in the way of fresh green crops. For the whole state, it seems safe 

 to conclude that the major part of the damage of 1918 w^as done to 

 the second crop of clover, the seed crop suffering severely and being 

 a total loss in many fields. Severe loss was sustained in many oat 

 fields due to the habit of the hopper in cutting ofif the spikelets of 

 maturing grains and dropping them to the ground. Corn suffered 

 in a limited way through attacks on the silk previous to the time of 

 pollination. Outlying garden patches also came in for their share in 

 the loss. 



A large percentage of the damage may be charged to four of the 

 somewhat limited number of species of grass-hoppers found in the 

 state. Early in the season the Two-striped Grass-hopper (Me'iu- 

 oplits biz'itafus) seemed most abundant. Associated with it was fre- 

 quently found the Lesser Migratory Grass-hopper {Melanophis 

 atlanis). This latter one is the only grass-hopper in Iowa which 

 is distinctly migratorial in its nature. A little later in the season 

 the Differential Grass-hopper {Mclanoplns diffcrcntialis) was per- 

 haps the dominating species, while still later the Red-legged Grass- 

 hopper (Mclanoplns fcmnr-rnhrnni) was by far the most abund'tri 

 in many localities. With these could always be found stray mem- 

 bers of the Carolina Grass-hopper (Dissosfcira Carolina) and a fev/ 

 other species. 



Two methods of control were successfully employed throughout 

 the summer — the poison bran mash, and control by catching wath 

 the hopper-dozer of grass-hopper catching machines. The poison 

 bran formula most frequently used consisted of a mixture of : 



Wheat bran 25 pounds 



Paris green or some other arsenical 1 pound 



Cheap molasses or syrup 2 quarts 



Lemons 6 fruits 



Water about 2 gallons 



The bran and arsenical were mixed dry. For small quantities a 

 washtub served well, while a wagonbox or large trough was used 

 when a large quantity was mixed. In the latter case a scoop and a 

 hoe proved to be the most successful tools for the mixing. The 

 lemons (other fruits may be substituted) were cut in a food-chopper 

 and mixed with the syrup and water. This liquid mixture was then 

 thoroughly worked into the bran, the amount of water being regu- 

 lated to make a crumbly mass that Vi^ould break up when scattered. 



The poison l)ran mash was sown broadcast over the infested 

 fiflds, making the quantity mixed from twenty-five pounds of bran 



