83 



liail were occurriug from 12 m. to 3 p. m., during which time these insects were beaten 

 down. They became so chilled and benumbed that they never rose again. The 

 sinow fields in many places were literally covered with the dead and djang. Bears 

 were plentiful, feeding and fattening upon them. Hundreds, yes, thousands of bushels 

 might have been shoveled from the cold surface of the snow. I know they did not 

 come from the adjacent Middle Park, because those bred there had not attained their 

 full growth, and never did, as before stated. These migrating swarms, therefore, must 

 hare come from beyond the range — from the Green Eiver basin, or, as I think, from th» 

 wide, hot, dry plains of Utah. 



Such are the personal observations of Mr. Byers, who has been in the 

 West since 1852. 



These statements, together with the fact now pretty well established, 

 that the destructive grasshopper of Utah is the C. spretus and not the 

 Oedipoda coralijies, (Hald.,) show that it is more than probable these 

 swarms do often cross the Bocky Mountain range. They show that, trav- 

 eling in the course of the wind, they can and do traverse the plains from 

 the mountain base to the borders of Kansas. But it is quite likely that 

 the swarms which cross the jilains are those hatched in Colorado and 

 Wyoming from the eggs deposited by the swarms of the previous year 

 east of the mountains. The iirevailing opinion of entomologists and 

 others who have studied the history and habits of this species is, that it 

 will never become a permanent resident of that section of the Missis- 

 sippi Valley which lies immediately west of the river, and that there 

 need be no fear on the part of agriculturists residing east of it that they 

 will ever be troubled by its invasions ; but, as has been the case in the 

 settlement of other portions of the country, even in the West, where most 

 damage is done by them, as the country becomes more densely populated, 

 and climatic changes are brought about, this sjiecies will sinlc back to 

 its normal condition. 



TESTS OF DEPAETMEXT SEEDS. 



Dr. Swasey, editor of the Southern Horticulturist, published at 

 Yazoo City, Mississii)pi, makes the following report on department 

 seeds : 



Bates's early sugar corn proves to be an early, prodirctive, and delicious variety of 

 small-eared red corn, and, from its color, quite a novelty. As a fii'st early sort it is 

 desirable, but for the main early crop we decidedly prefer Brill's early sugar com, 

 which ripens a little later, but is of equal excellence and productiveness, and much 

 larger. This is one of the best early varieties of sweet com that we have ever tested 

 out of a dozen or more. Indispensable to every amateur and market garden. 



The Early Wakefield cabbage proved to be the best early variety, and should be 

 planted extensively as the earliest good cabbage. The heads are small, but solid ; 

 tender, and of excellent flavor ; and as the plants can be set a foot apart in two-feet 

 rows, perhaps as large a weight of solid white heads can be raised of this variety as 

 of those which are larger. 



The Epicurean pea is one of the most delicious peas we have ever tasted ; and if it 

 was a first rate bearer, (which last year it wa-s not,) and the pods better filled, we 

 should unhesitatingly xironounce it the best of its season, which is second early. 



The Bossin lettuce is a magnificent variety of the Cos family, and beyond all com- 

 parison the best of that class that we have ever seen. Planted in March, without 

 extra manuring, many of the plants attained to a diameter of more than twenty 

 inches, and single leaves to over one foot in width. And its delicious tenderness re- 

 mained unimpaired to the very last — even through the hot and tlry weather of July. 

 The flavor was as delicate as its textiire, having scarcely a trace of that bitterness so 

 common to non-heading varieties. 



McLean's Little Gem pea is rightly named, for it is botli small and delicious. Of all 

 the dwarf varieties we have tried, this has proved about the only one worth cultivat- 

 ing. Grows about a foot high, and is literally covered with well-fiJled pods of large, 

 white, "wrinkled marrows," the richest of peas. Second early. 



Simons's Early Blood Turnip beet is mueli like the old Blood Turnip beet, except 

 being of a lighter color and somewhat smaller. 



