221 



so ; and now we have the appearance of winter in the lots so affected. 

 The insects have not traveled far into the city in any nnmbers, because 

 the inhabitants of the outside lots are vigilant in their efforts to destroy 

 all that they can. All modes are resorted to — digging holes, driving 

 the insects into, and burying them in the mud; piling straw, surround- 

 ing them and driving them in, and then after dark burning them in the 

 straw; putting a hoop in the mouth of a sack, sweeping them into 

 saclis and crushing them ; catching them in sheets and destroying them, 

 &c. Though millions are killed daily, we are overrun with them, 

 and people from the mountains say the hills are covered with small ones, 

 yet to come down. It is a deplorable prospect, but we " are going to 

 fight it out on that line." 



To-day (31st May) we had a lengthy, solid fall of snow and rain ; on 

 the hills surrounding us there is quite a depth of snow. The atmo- 

 sphere was cool, but in the afternoon it cleared up and became warm. 



SpringviUe, Utah. — The grasshoppers are more numerous this season 

 than ever before known ; already more than one-half of the oats, wheat, 

 and barley, have been destroyed by them. Farmers are replanting with 

 corn. Much of the blossoms and young fruit are cut from the trees of 

 the apple, peach, plum, and pear. Cherries not injured. Currants, 

 gooseberries, strawberries, pie-plant, and vegetables, mostly destroyed. 



STOCK IN DAKOTA COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 



Dakota County^ Neh. — The following extract was inadvertently credited 

 in the last number to Douglas County : 



In regard to the condition of cattle, I must say that the two great snow-storms of 

 the past season have done much injury. One man in this county tried safely to winter 

 two hundred head of cattle brought from Texas last fall. He lost one-foiirUb of tha 

 entire number, and fears that others may tlie before grass comes. It appears Texas 

 «attle cannot be introduced here in safety. Nearly all poorly fed and weak cattle haT» 

 either perished in the two great storms, or are in a fair way to die soon. 



BOTANICAL EXPLOEATIONS IN EAST TENNESSEE. 



In accordance with instructions, I have made, since the 1st of June, 

 a brief botanical exploration of the high mountain region of East 

 Tennessee, bordering on the boundary line dividing this State from 

 North Carolina, traveling the usual southwest^ern route, by the Virginia 

 yalley, into East Tennessee. I left the railroad at Carter station, about 

 twenty miles south of the State line, and proceeded thence by a rough 

 mountain road, crossing the "Watauga Eiver, to Elizabethtown, the 

 county seat of Carter County. This place, located in an irregidar allu- 

 vial basin on the Doe River, just above its junction with the Watauga, 

 is surrounded by moderately high wooded mountains, the clear rapid 

 mountain stream on which it is located affording excellent water- 

 power, which is only partially improved. From this point, following up 

 the increasingly rugged and contracted valley of Doe Eiver, which at 

 the time was swollen by recent rains to the size of a formidable stream, 

 difficult of crossing by the ordinary method of fording, the next set- 

 tlement reached was Doe Eiver, seven miles distant, upto which point 

 a branch railroad has been graded and prepared for track-laying, in- 

 tended eventually to pass through the mountains on the east to connect 

 with the railroad system of North Carolina and the Atlantic coast. 

 Twelve miles further above this point I reached the upper settlement of 

 3 



