20 



direct application to the insect itself, we must use means by which a fine spraj' will be 

 driven with force sufficient to envelop the whole jjiant, or the surface of the ground upon 

 which the insects are assembled, in a mist of poisonous liquid. Such an instrument is tht 

 atomizer, which has the additional advantage over the sprinkler that it consumes less 

 liquid. The first application of the atomizer for the destruction of insects was made by 

 me several years ago ; and in the American Naturalist for August, 1869, I published a 

 short paper recommending its use with certain poisonous liquids for the disinfection and 

 preservation of insect cabinets. I have seen its frequent use with great success. 



When the question of locusts became of importance last year, and the Colorado potato 

 beetle began to be very troublesome in the Atlantic States, I spoke with several commer- 

 cial friends and others about the propriety of making atomizers of large size for the de- 

 struction of these pests. In consequence of delay in the measures they thought necessary 

 to command the attention and security of a manufacturer, no progress has yet been made 

 for introducing such a contrivance into general use. Meanwhile a small apparatus, con- 

 sisting of an atomizer, a tank of fluid supported on the back, and a pair of bellows fixed 

 at the side of the oj:erator, has been independently introduced by a manufacturing estab- 

 lishment in Philadelphia, and I have been told is somewhat of a favourite. It will doubt- 

 less be useful to a limited extent, and is not patented, I believe. 



For small arm.?, this or a somewhat larger and more complete instrument wiU answer, 

 but in the war against insect pests in which I have endeavoured to interest yon, we must 

 have heavy ordnance as well as weapons for hand use. Large compound atomizer tubes, 

 with five, ten, twenty, or, in fact, an indefinite number of orifices for producing the spraj', 

 can be made, connected with large tanks of fluid, and worked by a powerful current of air 

 from a revolving fan, driven by man, horse or steam power, according to the size of the 

 instrument. When of sufficiently large size, the machine can be mounted on wheels and 

 transported wherever it would be recjuired for use. Before such instruments as these an 

 invading army of caterpillars, or even a recently hatched swarm of locusts, would be 

 annihilated. A comparatively small number of men would be required to work a battery 

 of this kind of field artillery, and it would be found immensely effective. 



The organization recommended can be effected only by the strong appeal of the 

 people where agricultural interests dominate, for proper instruction from the Government 

 and proper protection by legislative power. -We have game laws to protect our useful wild 

 animals ; thistle laws to guard against extension of no.xious weeds. Why not have insect 

 laws for destruction of agricultural pests 1 



Farmers of the West, are you willing to exert yourselves to procure this result ? The 

 prize is a rich one — it is no less than immunity from an annual destruction of property 

 quadruple or sextuple that of the great Chicago conflagration. 



Copy of Memorial. 



To the HonourahJe the Senate and the House of Ueprtsentatives of the United States. 



The subscribers to this Memorial respectfully represent to your Honourable bodies : 

 That they recognize in the invasion of grasshoppers, or more properly locusts, which 

 during the past season have reduced to starvation many thousands of the inhaliitants of 

 the Western States and Territories, and especially of Minnesota, Nebraska, and Kansas, a 

 great national calamity, calling for more eflicient measures than those now available to 

 prevent a recurrence of similar disasters. 



They have reason to believe, from the reiterated cautions given by men of science, 

 that a more careful study of the habits, rapidity of extension, and injuries caused b}- the 

 few species of insects most destructive to agriculture would lead to useful suggestions by 

 which proper means can be devised for the repression of these pests. 



