636 Journal of Agricultural Research voi. x. No. 12 



The following determinations were made on the moisture-free material : 



Per cent. 



Protein 75-28 



Fat (ether extract) 7. 21 



Ash (crude) 5. 61 



Mineral constituents: 



Silica 600 



Iron oxid (Fe^Os) 107 



Manganese oxid (MugO^) 008 



Calcium oxid 360 



Magnesium oxid 394 



Potassium oxid i. 202 



Sodium oxid 335 



Phosphorus pentoxid i. 190 



Sulphur 380 



Carbon dioxid and unconsumed carbon, by difference i. 034 



Total mineral constituents 5. 610 



From the results obtained in the analysis of the water-free substance 

 it is to be obseived that the dried remains of grasshoppers contain a 

 high percentage of valuable protein and also notable amounts of fat, 

 phosphorus, and potassium. 



At different periods in the world's history this insect has occurred in 

 such great numbers as to make it necessary to provide means for its 

 immediate destruction. Whiting (8) describes a plague of locusts or 

 grasshoppers which occurred in Palestine in the summer of 1 915. He 

 characterizes this plague as being one of the greatest of all grasshopper 

 plagues on record, both in regard to numbers. and to the amount of 

 destruction done. The following paragraph is taken from his article 

 (8, p. 513): 



Quantities were now gathered by the poorer Bethlehemites. A few ate them roasted, 

 describing the taste as delicious, especially the females full of eggs. Still the main 

 reason for collecting them was in order to secure the small bonus offered by the local 

 government of Bethlehem. Thus tons were destroyed, being buried alive till several 

 ancient abandoned cisterns were filled, while in surrounding villages each family 

 was required to produce a stipulated weight. Likewise in Jaffa they were destroyed 

 by being thrown into the Mediterranean, and when washed ashore dead and dried on 

 the beach, were collected and used as fuel in the public "Turkish baths" and ovens. 



While there has never been such a plague in this country as the one 

 just described, grasshoppers have been known to occur in such numbers 

 as to make it necessary to provide means for their control (6) . Walton (7) 

 in a bulletin of the United States Department of Agriculture, cites 

 instances where as many as 3 bushels of grasshoppers have been har- 

 vested per acre by means of a mechanical device known as the grass- 

 hopperdozer. It is quite probable that in many instances with suitable 

 machinery for catching, drying, and grinding these insects they might 

 afford a new source of a high-grade protein in all respects the equivalent 

 of meat meal, which could be made to serve an economical use in the 

 affairs of man, such as preparing balanced rations for swine, poultry, and 

 other live stock. 



