376 EEPOET OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



as wide, slightly curved, of a pale yellow color, and rather larger at the anterior than 

 the posterior end. 



As the hatching period approaches, they become more plnmp and pale, and the em- 

 bryo, with its dark eyes, is visible through the shell, which is now somewhat trans- 

 parent. The opening to this egg-mass is covered u]) by the mother, but the uowly- 

 hatched insect has no difficulty in escaping. When tirst hatched, the little hopper is 

 quite pale, but soon become's mottled with gray and brown. In escaping from the egg, 

 it is first covered with a delicate white peHicle, which has to be cast oft" before there 

 can be freedom of motion, so that the insect may be said to molt as soon as it is born. 

 Except in having a narrower prothorax, sloping roof-fashion to .a median ridge, and iu 

 lacking wings, the young locust scarcely ditfers in strncture from its parent ; and the 

 perfect winged form is gradually assumed through a series of four molts, during the 

 first three of which the wing-pads become larger, and during the last, from the pupa to 

 the perfect state, the thorax becomes flattened, the wings are acquired, and tiio insect 

 ceases to grow and is ready to procreate. The time required from hatching till the 

 wings are obtained averages about two months. The high and loug flights, character- 

 istic of the species after the wings are acquired, are seldom indulged, except when 

 there is a fair wind. * * * The eggs are laid, by preference, in bare, sandy places, 

 especially on high, dry ground which is tolerably compact, and not loose. It is gen- 

 erally stated that they are not laid in meadows and paslltrea, and that hard road- 

 tracks are preferred ; in truth, however, meadows and pastures where the grass is 

 closely grazed are much used for ovipositing by the female, while on well-traveled 

 roads she seldom gets time to fulfill the act without being disturbed. Thus a well- 

 traveled road may present the appearance of being perfectly honey-combed with holes, 

 when an examination will show that most of them are unfinished and contain no eggs, 

 whereas a field covered with grass-stubble may show no signs of such holes and yet 

 abound with eggs. 



In comparing the year 1874 with that of 1875, the secretary says: 



Eighteen hundred and seventy-fonr teemed with eventful disasters ; 1875 with abund- 

 ance. The wonderful recuperative powers of the State from an unexampled devastation, 

 and the catalogue cf misfortunes incident thereto, are prominently and vividly por- 

 trayed in the progress of the year. More than a million acres have been added to the 

 cultivated area ; the corn product has leaped from fifteen to eighty-one million bushels; 

 "wheat from less than nine to nearly fourteen millions; other crops have increased in 

 like ratio. Such progress, following on the heels of most dreadful disaster, has no 

 parallel iu the progress and history of agriculture. Last fall the farmers foresaw that 

 the destratiou of corn and many other crops by locusts would not only entail suffering, 

 but render work-animals unfit for farm operations. This stimulated fall plowing, 

 ■while work-animals were comparatively in good heart. An increase in acreage of 

 winter wheat and rye, and a large breadth turned over for spring grains, was the result. 



Hay was light, but exceedingly nutritious. Necessity compelled farmers, for once in 

 the history of Kansas, to go into winter with an abundant supply, it being the chief, 

 and in many cases the only, stock-food on which they could rely. The winter was about 

 an average ono in severity of cold, but comparatively dry, aud therefore favorable to 

 stock that had no artificial shelter or protection. All kinds of farm-animals, except 

 Bwine, came out of winter thin in flesh, but iu good heart, and free from any prevail- 

 ing disease. The percentage of mortality was less than during any previous winter; 

 that of sheep could hardly be computed at all. 



The settlement and UDparalleled growth of Kansas are graphically 

 portraj'ed in a paper by Mr. Daniel W. Wilder; Kansas agriculture is 

 presented by Mr. J. A. Anderson, president of the State Agricultural Col- 

 lege. This paper contains much valuable information in relation to the 

 wonderful productiveness of the soil of Kansas. Iu an article on the 

 railroads of Kansas, Mr. T. Dwight Thacher names twenty-one lines in 

 or passing through the State, of which the miles in operation within the 

 State aggregate 2,084^. Of the rivers of the State, Mr. Thacher says : 



The Missouri River forms the eastern boundary of the State from the Nebraska line 

 to Wyandotte. It is navigable almost tho entire year by the largest steamboats, and 

 is a very important channel of transportation. Elegant and substantial iron bridges 

 for railway and wagon travel span this great river at Wathena, Atchison, Leaven- 

 worth, and Kansas City. The Kansas River was navigated iu early days by small 

 Bteamboata as far west as Fort Riley. In 1869 a light-draught boat made several trips 

 between tho Missouri and Lawrence, taking out corn. This stream has since been 

 bridged at Wyandotte, Lawrence, Topeka, and Wamengo, and is no longer navigable. 

 The Arkansas, Neosho, KepublicaQ^ Solomon, Verdigris, Blue, Cottonwood, Spring, 



