Februarj^, '14] DEAN: KANSAS GRASSHOPPER CONTROL 71 



the poisoned bran mash that had proved so successful the two previ- 

 ous summers. Four days before the poison was to be distributed the 

 writer took the field personally to conduct the campaign. 



So well organized was the work, and so perfect the cooperation, 

 credit for which should be given Mr. G. E. Thompson, the district 

 demonstration agent, that two days before the 'time set as "grass- 

 hopper day" the county commissioners had the material on hand, and 

 the township trustees had their forces marshaled and read}' for the 

 fight. Within the next three days supplies were distributed to the 

 farmers sufficient to prepare nearly one hundred tons of poisoned bran 

 mash. All day long hundreds of farmers came for their allotment of 

 the material. One or two representatives from the Agricultural Col- 

 lege or the University of Kansas were at each place to explain how 

 to mix and distribute the poison. The Paris green and bran were 

 mixed at the distributing stations, but the syrup, oranges and water 

 were not to be added until it was ready to put out in the field. A 

 printed circular describing the method of preparing the poisoned bran 

 mash, together with the method of distribution, was given to every 

 farmer, so if he forgot the instructions of the college men he would 

 have the directions in the circular. The circular also described in 

 detail the other methods of control. A county official checked out 

 the poison at each place. A two hundred-pound allotment was given 

 each farmer, providing, of course, he had use for that amount. Of 

 course this amount was not sufficient for the farmer who had several 

 hundred acres of crops to protect. However, the county officials felt 

 that it was enough fully to demonstrate to him that the poison was 

 efficient, and after he was convinced the hoppers could be destroyed 

 and his crops saved, he would be willing to buy additional material 

 for distribution over the remaining fields of his farm. Although the 

 writer knew the poisoned bran mash had proved successful where it 

 had been used on a small scale the two previous summers, and had 

 persuaded the farmers and county officials that it was no experiment 

 but just a piece of demonstration work, he could not help feeling anx- 

 ious as to what the result would be. Over one thousand farmers in a 

 single county had taken home the poison. Reporters from several of 

 the leading daily papers were there to write up the result. Several 

 other counties were waiting to either organize to distribute poisoned 

 bran mash, or join in the criticism of the college. A number of per- 

 sons, such as you always find when doing work of this sort, were wait- 

 ing for an opportunity to severely criticise the work. Meanwhile 

 the farmers had distributed one hundred ton of poison. Thus Ford 

 County and all of us rested and waited. The grasshoppers ate and so 

 ravenous were they for the poisoned bait that they even left their 



