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EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



" Agricultural College, N. Dak., Aug. 30. — There is no question as to the efficacy 

 of ploughing. Fields lying side by side on the same ridge of land that were visited by 

 Rocky Mountain Locusts last fall showed this point very clearly. One of the fields was 

 left unploughed, and from this small area probably 250 bushels of grasshoppers hatched 

 out, while in the fields that were ploughed no trace of grasshoppers could be found 

 except as they came from unploughed fields. The farmers in parts of this State find 

 tliat early fall ploughing gives a much better yield of wheat than either late fall plough- 

 ing or spring ploughing, and, for this reason, as well as for the destruction of the locusts, 

 we recommend that all fields in the infested localities be ploughed as early as possible. 



" So far as ploughing simply to destroy the eggs of the locusts, there is no reason 

 why this need be done in the fall any more than in the following spring. In fact, in 

 the localities where grasshoppers appeared this year, fields that were ploughed immedi- 

 ately before seeding were as free as those ploughed shortly after harvest, though the 

 ground in both cases was undoubtedly filled with eggs. 



" Now, in regard to harrowing, there is no doubt that if the egg masses are brought 

 to the surface and broken at this time of the year the vitalit}' of the eggs will be 

 destroyed. The only question connected with harrowing is how thoroughly the egg- 

 masses will be broken up. Where soil is firm I have recommended harrowing, and then 

 cross-harrowing, so as to disturb every portion of the surface. The disk harrow used 

 for pulverizing sod about five or six weeks after breaking would probably do good work 

 if the ground is too firm for the ordinary harrow. The heavy rains which usually come 

 in August and September here, compact the soil so much that ordinary harrowing would 

 probably fail to serve the purpose. Disking the fields immediately after harvest would 

 leave the soil in such loose condition that the insects would probably avoid that locality 

 for egg-laying." — [Prof. C. B. Waldron, Horticulturist, N. Dak., Agr. Exp. St.] 



To secure the best results as far as the destruction of the locusts is concerned, fall 

 ploughing is undoubtedly the most effective method ; but, if from press of other work 

 it is impossible to plough all land which was under crop this year, much good may be 

 done by early spring ploughing before the insects hatch or before they are large enough 

 to move from their hatching grounds to adjacent crops. Stubble land which it is 

 intended to summer-fallow next year must be turned down, if possible, before the 1st of 

 June, and at the latest by the middle of that month. 



Other Remedies. — Should grasshoppers, notwithstanding all precautions, be found 

 abundant, farmers may have recourse to burning by means of strips of straWj as was 

 done by Mr. Scott this year, or to the use of hopper-dozers or tar pans, which are imple- 

 ments made of sheet-iron, containing some tar or coal oil in the bottom, A cheap and 



Fig. 12. — Grasshopper Dozer. 



simple plan of one of these, costing from $1.50 to $2, was described many years ago by 

 Prof. Riley. It consists of a strip of sheet-iron, 8 or 10 feet long, turned up 1 inch in 

 front and 1 foot behind, with pieces soldered in at the ends (or made of wood) and hooks 

 placed in front at both ends for the attachment of ropes. If to run on rough ground, 

 it will be better to put runners, H or 2 inches high, underneath Into this put a layer 

 of coal tar h inch deep, or water and coal oil. The implement can be drawn by a boy at 

 each end, or by a horse if preferred. {Farmer's Advocate, Winnipeg, 5 Oct., 1898.) 



