300 REPORT OF TPIE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



way a great many of the locusts were destroyed, but a great many more 

 pnsscd over the windrow into the adjacent trees. 



This alfalfa field was rolled late in the evening with a heavy "wooden 

 roller, but this did not kill very many of the locusts, although the 

 ground was quite level, but sandy. I have repeatedly stepped squarely 

 upon a locust on loose, sandy soil, without injuring the locust in the 

 slightest degree, so far as I could discover. 



A small ]mtch of alfalfa that was thickly infested with locusts was 

 sprayed with a sohition composed of 1 i)art of the kerosene emulsion (2 

 gallons kerosene, 1 gallon water, and one-half i:)ound of soap) diluted 

 with 4 parts of Avater, but the locusts were not killed by it. Locusts 

 immersed in the undiluted emulsion died a few minutes afterwards. 



Mr. G. N. Milco, one of the proprietors of the Buhach plantation, tried 

 the experiment of driving the locusts out of a small vegetable garden by 

 burning some flowers of sulphur on the windward side of the garden, but 

 the locusts were not visibly affected by it. Several other persons also 

 tried this remedy, but always with a like result. 



This remedy might prove effectual in localities where the air is so 

 damp and heavy as to keep the smoke near the ground, but in a climate 

 where the air is so light as it is in the San Joaquin Valley in the sum- 

 mer time it will avail notliing, as the smoke rises rai^idly in the air and 

 thus is not brought in contact with the locusts ui)ou the surrounding 

 vegetation. 



A;r. Frank Smith, whose farm adjoins the Buhach plantation on the 

 west, had a trough of zinc constructed, the dimensions of which were 

 about as follows: Length, G feet; width, 2 feet; depth, 18 inches. This 

 was mounted on runners, and late in the evening it was drawn by a 

 horse through the orchard; the bottom of the trough was covered to the 

 depth of 5 or G inches with strong soap-suds. 



In operating it, the trough was drawn beneath a tree infested with 

 locusts ; the tree was then struck with a heavy stick that had been 

 wrapped in several thicknesses of cloth to prevent bruising the tree ; 

 by this operation many of the locusts were dislodged from the tree and 

 fell into the soap-suds in the trough, and after a certain quantity of 

 them had been thus collected they were transferred into grain-sacks and 

 afterwards beaten to death with a heavy club. In this manner a great 

 many of the loousts were destroyed. 



This plan would have been more effectual had there been two troughs 

 instead of only one, so that there could have been a trough placed on 

 each side of the tree. The best results were obtained when it was 

 operated very late at night, when the locusts were somewhat stupefied 

 by the cold. 



A remedy that has been very successful in destroying locusts consists 

 of a certain proportion of bran, arsenic, sugar, and water; these have 

 been used in different proportions, but the one that appears to give the 

 best results consists of 1 part by weight of arsenic, 1 of sugar, and G of 

 bran, to which is added a sufficient quantity of water to make a wet 

 mash. 



This preparation is usually prepared in wash-tubs or half-barrels. 

 One of these is filled about three-fourths full of dry bran, and to this is 

 added about 5 pounds of arsenic, which is thoroughly stirred through 

 the bran with a spade or shovel. Five pounds of sugar is next thrown 

 into a pail, which is then filled with water and the sugar stirred until 

 it is dissolved, when this sugar-water is added to the bran aud arsenic 

 and the three well stirred ; more water is added and the stirring con- 

 tinued until every portion of the mash becomes thoroughly saturated. 



