GRASSHOPPERS AND OTHER INJURIOUS INSECTS OP 1911 AND 1912. 



this widespread occurrence of the grasshoppers in midsummer must result in 

 equally widespread deposition of eggs. We prefer to thus simply present the 

 facts and leave the interpretation of these to others. The facts to which we 

 may call attention are, that we have had grasshoppers in harmful numbers 

 in some parts of the state, and that we will doubtless have them to meet at 

 least in some places during the coming summer. We have called attention to 

 the need of early action against this pest to accomplish any real good. We 

 have also called attention to the need of organized effort or co-operation 

 against this common pest." 



We have stated that in practically every instance of serious and 

 widespread grasshopper injury, we have found the original source 

 of the grasshoppers to be reverted or waste land. In this con- 

 nection we quote again from Mr, Somes' report : 



"A discussion of means of reclamation of these infested ai-eas would 

 hardly fall within the province of this report but it must be recalled that al- 

 though the so-called 'plow law' or 'grasshopper law' is by reason of its wordmg. 

 practically worthless, yet any law that may be drafted is equally worthless 

 unless rigorously enforced. 



A certain tract near Beltrami is very well adapted to illustrate the gen- 

 eral conditions in any infested area and may be treated in some detail. 



In the above sketch "A" 

 represents a large tract of "re- 

 verted land" and the source of 

 infestation from which the 

 grasshoppers will sooner or 

 later spread in all directions. 

 Thus it may be seen that the 

 farms surrounding this tract 

 must suffer. In this case we 

 note the grasshoppers spreading 

 first in great numbers to the 

 tract "B" where they were so 

 thick as to totally cover spots of 

 ground from ten to twenty feet 

 square. Later they spread out 

 to "D", "C", "E", "F", and "G". 

 They were not found in numbers 

 in "I" and "H" probably be- 

 cause these pieces wei'e pasture 

 and the hoppers were there more 

 or less disturbed by the stock. 

 This illustrates the general condition found elsewhere, save that the source 

 is variable in size." 



The four men in the field in 1911 carried on work along certain 

 definite lines. Headquarters were established at Fergus Falls in the 

 Red River Valley, and there, through the courtesy of city officials, 

 were given a laboratory, and also secured near the city a piece of 

 land for experimentation. 



The laboratory work consisted largely of the study of life his- 

 tories of injurious species, the rearing of parasites; and upon our 

 experimental ground we planted grain crops to test thereon the 

 efficacy and safety of the poison spray referred to at the beginning 

 of this article. We also secured the co-operation of many farmers 



^ 



D 



Fig. 6. Diagram showing where grasshoppers start and 

 how they spread. Somes. 



