174 EXPERIMENTAL FARMB 



3-4 EDWARD VII., A. 1904 



faction. Some farmers who had read in the newspapers of experiments in treating 

 grasshopper outbrealcs with parasitic fungi, asked that some experiments of this nature 

 might also be tried in Manitoba. The idea of treating outbreaks of injurious insects 

 by moans of introducing parasitic insects or fungi is an exceedingly attractive one, 

 and, to those who have never studied these matters, is apparently a very easy solution 

 of a difficult problem. Knowing that many of our leading American entomologists 

 and botanists had made extensive experiments in this direction, but that nothing waa 

 being done by these students at the present time, I had not any very sanguine hopes 

 of securing great success in Manitoba; but, as there certainly was a chance of doing 

 good work for the province, I endeavoured to procure some cultures of the so-called 

 South African Grasshopper Fungus for this purpose. After correspondence with many 

 who had experimented, I at last succeeded, through the kindness of Dr. Howard, the 

 United States Entomologist, in obtaining six tubes. These I took with me to Mani- 

 toba in June last and placed them in the hands of Mr. Norman Griddle, a careful ex- 

 perimenter and asked him to follow closely the instructions which accompanied them. 

 This work was begun while I was with him and carried out by Mr. Griddle during the 

 summer. Notwithstanding every care, this experiment must be recorded as a failure. 

 I append herewith Mr. Griddle's report upon his work with locusts during the season 

 of 1903. 



LOCUST NOTES FROM AWEME, MAN., 1903. 



By Norman Griddle. 



There has been throughout tliis part of the country a marked decrease in the num- 

 ber of locusts during 1903, especially where they were poisoned last season. All the 

 early damage done, which amounted to very little, was owing to many of the stubble 

 fields being last spring devoid of all vegetation, and consequently locusts were obliged 

 to attack the grain much earlier than they otherwise would have done. The first hop- 

 pers noticed hatched out on the 3rd May; they were becoming quite numerous by the 

 5th, and on the 12th the majority were out. They then began to do harm. By the 

 15th they had swept into some fields in millions, I thinly, thicker than I had ever seen 

 them before. They had in three days marched 200 yards. Up to this time a small 

 amount of damage was done; but this was principally owing to carelessness, and th© 

 insects ■^ere soon got under control with poison. By the 5th June most of the locusts 

 had passed the third stage and, owing to the hot weather, it required a good deal of 

 exertion to keep them from the growing grain. Wherever poison had been spread, 

 countless numbers were found lying dead about the edges of the fields. At this period 

 quite a number hatched in the wheat fields, the eggs having evidently been laid on 

 summer-fallow last year. On June 13 most of the locusts were in the fifth stage, and 

 the first one was noted with wings. By July 2 two-thirds could fly and some of them 

 began migrating. By July 6 they could nearly all fly, and many of them flew into the 

 crops. It is at this time that the second stage of the fight begins; the locusts, flying 

 to all parts of the crop, eat the heads of grain. Fortunately, they soon collect into 

 the sunny places, such as where the seeder has missed or any other open spot, so that, 

 by wallving up and down the fields, these places can be found and poison spread there. 

 In fact, I am inclined to believe that in localities where locusts are troublesome it 

 would be a good plan to miss a foot or so when drilling for the insects to collect upon. 

 The migrating season was over by July 15, the v/eather at that time being cold and 

 unfavourable for fiying, so that vei^y few left the neighbourhood. On August 1 the 

 first female was noted laying eggs, although egg-laying did not become general until 

 the 11th of that month, from which date eggs were deposited continuously until all 

 these insects had disappeared. This they began to do about September 1, gradually 

 getting less, until by October 3 they had nearly all disappeared. A few remained until 

 the winter set in. The locusts responsible for damage this year were the same as last, 

 and in the same proportioiL 



