THE GRASSHOPPER PROBLEM AND ALFALFA CULTURE. 9 
can be made and this further strengthened by additional runners; a 
horse can then be hitched to each end, or the pan may be mounted on 
low wheels. The whole thing is easily constructed, inexpensive, and 
once made may be put into service year after year as needed. The 
only place where its use will prove more or less impracticable will be 
on hilly or rocky lands or on that not yet cleared of stumps. 
Poisoned baits.—In the use of poisoned baits we have another inex- 
pensive, practical way of dealing with these grasshoppers even when, 
as is frequently the case, they breed in the alfalfa fields, and the pro- 
tection, whatever it may be, must be applied there. What has 
come to be known as the ‘‘Criddle mixture”’ is giving most satisfac- 
tory results on the ranches of both the United States and Canada. 
The mixture is composed of half a barrel of fresh horse droppings in 
which is mixed 1 pound each of salt and Paris Green. If the horse 
droppings are not fresh, the salt is dissolved in water and mixed 
Fig. 8.—“‘Hopperdozer.”’ A simple coal-oil pan, to be drawn by ] 
cei ‘os 
with the manure and poison. When this mixtur frecly, 
about where the grasshoppers are abundant, they scem to be aeacted 
to it, for they devour it readily and are Poconed thereby. Dr. James 
Watcher. late entomologist for the Dominion of Canada, cited an 
instance where this mixture had been scattered freely around the 
edges of a field, and stated that this particular field stood out as a 
green patch in a brown plain, as it was situated in the midst of fields 
where nothing had been done to destroy the grasshoppers. 
Another effective bait is made by mixing wheat bran, 25 pounds; 
Paris green, 1 pound; cheap molasses or sirup, 2 quarts; oranges or 
lemons, 3 fruits. Thoroughly mix together the bran and Paris green. 
An ordinary washtub will answer for this purpose. Into a separate 
receptacle containing the molasses or sirup, squeeze the juices of the 
fruit; then chop up finely the skin and pulp of the fruit and add this 
also to the molasses mixture; then dilute with 2 gallons of water. 
Mix the two together and add enough more water to bring the 
