33 



The Plaque of Locusts in 1874. 



Let us now turn to the terrible visitation of the present year, from the effects of which 

 so many thousands are now suffering the privations of famine throughout immense tracts of 

 country. 



Last year 1^1873) the locusts or (grasshoppers were stated to have inflicted considerable 

 damage upon crops of various kinds in some of the Western States, principally Nebraska and 

 Kiiusas; here and there also in Minnesota, Iowa and Dakota there were comparatively triHing 

 visitations. But in the month of July of this year there began one of the most 

 serious invasions that has ever occurred in the west. In point of numbers and in extent of 

 area affected, the plague was probably j no greater than on some previous occasions, notably 

 that of 1855. that we have referred to above; the great difference, however, is caused by the 

 fact that twenty years ago the country west of the Missis.sippi River was an almost unin- 

 habited wilderjess of prairie, while now it is traversed by a net work of railways, covered 

 with fKjpulous towns and villages, and occupied to a very large extent by multitudes of in- 

 dustrious people. Twenty years ago the locusts affected the food supply, pel haps, of the buf- 

 falo, the Indian, and the scattered frontier settlers, but now their ravages cause destitution and 

 misery in tens of thousands of homes. 



Up to the beginning of July this year, all looked bright and fair for the western farmer. 

 His crops of all kinds were, as a rule, growing luxuriantly ; the prospect of a bountiful har- 

 vest was quite as good as usual. After that date, however, sooner or later in different 

 localities, all these bright prospects were overclouded, in many instances utterly destroyed. 

 The following extracts from various newspapers will abundantly tell the tale. 



As early as the 19th of July a correspondent of the Prairk Farmer writes from How- 

 ard County, Nebraska : '• Corn and jjotatoes were doing well until recently, when the grass- 

 hoppers [locusts] put in an appearance, and the result undoubtedly is, at the present moment, 

 that there is not ten per cent, of these crops and of late oats left in this and the two neigh- 

 bouring counties ; and it is very doubtful if the countless millions of Vandals will leave a 

 vestige of any green thing. The result must be almost certain starvation for new-comers, and 

 must retard the development of this beautilul country for many years." 



A lady conespondent of the same paper writes a few days later from Butler County, 

 also in Nebraska: — •'' The low-hung clounds have dropped their garnered fullness duwn.' 

 But alas ! and alack ! they were not the long-lookedfor rain clouds, but grasshoppers. As I 

 told you before, they passed over on the 23rd, only a few alighting ; but a strong south-west 

 w ind on the 24th brought back countless millions ; and on the 25th their numbers were fearful 

 to contemplate. They would rise in the air when the sun shone hot, but as it grew cooler 

 they came down like the wolf on the fold. They .settled like huge swarms of bees on every 

 living thing. Fields of corn that had been untouched before were now stiipped of tassel and 

 blade. A field of early corn was being eaten so fast, that the girls went to save a few ears, 

 instead of going to visit a sick schoolmate according to promise. Trees were so loaded with 

 the pests, that those four and five feet high bent down till the tops touched the ground, and 

 in some instances broke off; for three dreadful houi-s they dashed against the house like hail. 

 So many came in at doors and windows that every aperture was closed ; but not till they 

 were so thick on the windows, that we were forced to make a business of slaying. The 25th 

 of July will be remembered by the citizens of this and some other counties as the dark day, 

 when desolation and devastation stared us in the face. * * * j^je wheat which 



was at first thought to be out of harm's way was cut off about one-fourth by the destroying 

 angels. A statement in our county paper says the average will be about 8 or t) bushels per 

 acre. Micr thci^rasshoppers stopped their depredations, there were several damp cloudy 

 days, that brougB^ut new tassels and silks on the corn, but more than a week of hot, dry 

 weather, with scorcning winds checked its growth, so there will be none, excepting a very 

 few fields that partially escaped. Turnips have been grown since the rain ; and it is to be 

 hoped there will yet be some potatoes ; sweet potatoes were not hurt so badly as the common 

 potato. Broom corn, cane and Hungarian grass were unscathed." 



A writer from St. Paul, Minnesota, to the paper above mentioned, says that the locusts 

 " have undoubtedly destroyed five hundred thousand bushels of wheat, and are likely to des- 

 troy another half million of bushels." Later on in the season the St. Paul FrcfS publishes 

 the following statement in reference to the plague of locusts in Minnesota : — " It is safe to 

 D 



