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Springtown, San Pete county, Utah.—Last fall we were visited by vast num- 
bers of insects of the locust tribe, here commonly called grasshoppers; but, 
I think these insects are almost identical with the red-legged locust, as described 
by most writers on natural history. They ate off almost everything in our gar- 
dens and much from our grain fields; nothing seemed to come amiss to them— 
not even tobacco plants. In some few instances peas, beans, potatoes, tomatoes, 
squashes, and such like were rejected by them, or rather let alone, chiefly, we 
presume, because the vines were old and tough. They laid their eggs and took 
their flight westward. About the middle of April the eggs began to hatch out, 
and the young ones are now flying about, devouring our young crops of every 
description. In some few cases where they made an early attack the grain is 
beginning to grow again. Judging from appearances, I should say that at least 
two-ghirds of this year’s crop has been destroyed by them. 
Austin county. Texas.—Already, in confirmation of my fears, comes advice 
from two eye-witnesses, of the ravages of grasshoppers in Washington and 
Fayette counties. In the former, they devour all the corn sprouting, and own 
ers hesitate to replant, being afraid of a repetition of the visit. In Fayette 
county the gardens have been destroyed by the grasshoppers, the plants dying 
off. On the sixth of April there was a heavy thunder-shower, which destroyed 
many of the grasshoppers. 
Red River county, Texas——I regret that I cannot make a more favorable 
report with regard to wheat. Large quantities were sown and it looked unusu- 
ally well; but on the first day of November, suddenly the sky was darkened 
partially, and immense numbers of grasshoppers settled on the country; so 
numerous, indeed, that in a very few days they ate up all green vegetation, 
first destroying the wheat. I have been living here for twenty-five years, and 
never knew of such a visitation before. We all continued to sow wheat as 
long as there was any seed, believing that a good frost would destroy the grass- 
hoppers ; but they proved to us that they could not only endure a heavy frost 
but a considerable freeze. They continued until about Christmas, when a severe 
freeze of several days’ duration destroyed them, but leaving the earth filled 
with their eggs, and innumerable young ones are now making their appear- 
ance, which may destroy our spring crops before they can fly away to the 
country from whence they came, which I understand is their habit. The destruc- 
tion of the wheat crop is a very heavy loss to the country at this time, when 
struggling to rise above the grasp of poverty caused by the war. 
POTATO BUGS. 
Ford county, Illinois —As there was a great loss in potatoes by the potato 
bug, I send you some of them, that you may see them. They seem to be of 
recent origin here. Those that we have had in years past were larger and as 
long again. The prospect is that but few will plant potatoes, as they lost their 
crops last year. I send some of the eggs as they appear before hatching. 
[The eggs enclosed are those of the ten-lined spearman, or doryphora 10- 
lineata. | 
Columbia county, Wisconsin—The potato bug (den-lined spearman) have 
made their appearance in large numbers, and the prospect of a crop is not good 
at this time. 
Fond du Lac county, Wisconsin —Potato bugs have made their appearance 
in great numbers. ‘The Ripon Farmers’ Club are making many experiments 
for their destruction. Should any good derive from these experiments, I will 
report them to the department. 
Jackson county, Wisconsin —Potato bugs are very bad. 
