INJURIOUS INSECTS OF 1903. 29 



1869, 1870, 1871, 1872, 1873 and 1874, 1876 and 1877. In 1874 

 Minnesota lost $3,034,000.00 on wheat, oats, corn and other 

 crops through the agency of grasshoppers. I am indebted to 

 the State Historical Society for the following description of a 

 "Grasshopper War" in 1874, occuring in an address of Gen. J. 

 W. Bishop before that society in April, 1902. It is interesting 

 as showing what a scourge they were in Iowa and Minnesota 

 at that time and what methods were employed to combat them. 



In early June of 1874 the fields that had been devastated by the grass- 

 hoppers in the previous summer had been generally cultivated and re- 

 seeded, and were promising a generous return to the anxious owners. 

 But now the eggs were hatching, and in a few days the little hoppers out- 

 numbered the wheat plants five to one. A few more days and the fields 

 were eaten bare again. Whole counties in southwestern Minnesota and 

 northwestern Iowa were in this condition, and a panic ensued at once. 

 I spent a day in personal inspection of the devastated fields, and in in- 

 terviewing the demoralized settlers, and, returning that night to St. Paul, 

 reported the situation next morning to our Directors at a special meet- 

 ing. The outlook was very discouraging, but it would become a great 

 deal worse if something were not done at once to check the impending 

 stampede of the disheartened settlers, and to restore and establish confi- 

 dence. 



I suggested a plan, and it was adopted, and the next day I was at 

 the front again putting it into operation. 



I had proposed to join with five others in the purchase from the 

 company, at its regular published prices, of all the railroad lands in two 

 townships located in the heart of the grasshopper district, and to imme- 

 diately commence breaking the sod, employing the settlers to do the 

 work in small tracts. Messrs. Horace Thompson, A. H. Wilder and John 

 L. Merriam of St. Paul, and Adrian Iselin and Geo. I. Seney of New 

 York, who were consulted, and approved by telegraph, formed, with 

 myself, the party who were facetiously dubbed the "Grasshopper Syndi- 

 cate." 



The lands were selected near Sheldon, Iowa, and I telegraphed to 

 John L. Kenny, who had been quartermaster in my regiment ten years 

 before, and who knew how to manage men and teams, to meet me there 

 next morning. 



While he proceeded to mark off a square mile of land into twenty- 

 acre tracts, I "intercepted" the migrating settlers as they came in sight 

 on their way to Dakota, or to anywhere beyond the grasshoppers, and 

 before night I had captured twelve of them, each with a contract to break 

 twenty acres at $2.50 per acre. The wagon bed was lifted off, and the 

 wife and children commenced housekeeping in it, while the man unlim- 

 bered his breaking plow and started in. The news spread over the coun- 



