﻿OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 63 



Benton County.— The damage in a few localities was great, but 

 Mr. J. H, Lay, of Warsaw, writes that taking the county as a whole it 

 was very slight. 



Barton County.— The general destruction and consequent distress 

 were not so great here as in counties further north. Winter wheat 

 and rye turned out well, but of oats and Spring wheat fully one-fourth 

 of the crop was destroyed by the locusts. 



W. B. Krimrainger, of Leroy, wrote, May 21 : 



Grasshoppers have been hatchhio: here for about seven weeks in this locality 

 (township 33, range 32 west) but have not done much damage except to cut out some 

 wardens. ^, , , ^ , 



The only effect Fall plowing had on grasshopper eggs was to cause them to hatch 

 out later; perhaps the result would have been different if our winter had been wet 

 instead of extremely dry. 



The insects were leaving in a north and north-west direction 

 «very favorable day throughout most of June, and by the end of that 

 month farmers were jubilant over the brightened prospects. 



Bates County.— Lying near the centre of the region where the 

 eggs were most thickly laid, this county suffered severely. The peo- 

 ple were in a condition that outside help was imperative to save many 

 families from actual starvation. For miles and miles every green thing 

 that grew out of or upon the ground had been literally devoured. 

 Committees were sent to Kansas City and St. Louis asking for help, 

 and brought back cheering words and timely aid to the hungry and 

 despairing at home. 



Jno. B. Durand, of Prairie City, wrote me, May 17: 



The locusts are of more notoriety here at present than anything else. It is actu- 

 ally alarming and distressing to see all our crops and pastures eaten off until they are 

 as bare as in midwinter. Tuey take everything green, even tobacco. They keep the 

 ieaves off of some of my apple trees so that I am afraid they will die. 



A prominent merchant of Butler, wrote, May 19, to the Si. Louis 

 Globe- Democrat : 



We are having terrible times in this county now. The grasshoppers have de- 

 stroyed the country ; there is scarcely a green shrub in the country. All of our crops 

 are destroyed, and there is no prospect of the hoppers leaving. Our town is being 

 threatened with a raid by the starving people from the country. 



Our condition is awful, and God only knows where it will all end. 



The merchants and citizens of that town and vicinity held several 

 meetings, and raised enough money to purchase a car load of seed 

 corn. This was distributed to responsible farmers for seed only. 

 Other arrangements were made to supply the immediate wants of the 

 people and Messrs. Devinney, Hannah and Childs were appointed a 

 committee to distribute the corn. 



