﻿78 EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT 



stances of their alighting within the borders of the State. In these 

 exceptional cases they remained but a short time, and, tho' creating^ 

 much alarm, did but little damage — being far less voracious than had 

 been the invaders of the previous Autumn. 



There were no incursions into the State this year from the north 

 or west, and after the middle of July scarce a specimen of spretus 

 could be found in Kansas. The disappointed, but not disheartened, 

 farmers went to work with a will, putting in late crops ; the devastated 

 fields and gardens renewed their green under the influence of frequent 

 showers, and by Autumn there were but few mementos of the deso- 

 lation ot the previous Spring. 



The amount of damage done to the early crops is difficult to esti- 

 mate. During the prevalence of the plague it was doubtless consid- 

 erably exaggerated, for even in the localities where the locusts were 

 most numerous they seldom made a clean sweep of the crops, with 

 the exception of garden vegetables and like succulent plants, for 

 which they manifested a decided preference. In many instances they 

 would completely strip one field, while perhaps the adjoining one 

 would entirely escape. 



Leavenworth county reported a loss of about 50 per cent, of the 

 Spring crops; Doniphan lost 30 per cent.; Miami 25 per cent.; Brown 

 20 per cent., and other counties, where the locust injuries had been, 

 confined to certain sections, averaged a loss of from 10 to 15 per cent. 



Census returns from sixty-two of the seventy-six counties show 

 the total population to be 494,172. The remaining counties had a 

 population, in 1874, of 41,905. If the returns for this year show an 

 equal number, the population of the State will be over 53(J,000. Thir- 

 ty-eight of the counties for which returns have been received show a 

 gain in population, and twenty-three a loss. After such severe trials, 

 this indicates an unusual prosperity ; and it is worthy of remark, as 

 illustrative of the enterprise of her people, that the fourth annual 

 Keport of the State Board of Agriculture, for the year 1875, is a 

 volume of 754 pages, replete with valuable statistics, profusely illus- 

 trated, elegantly published, and edited in a manner that reflects great 

 credit on its Secretary, Mr. Alired Gray. 



The report of the operations of the Kansas State Relief Society 

 was completed during the Summer. It covers all the transactions of 

 the committee in detail, from its organization November 19, 1874, to 

 its disbandonment June 9, 1875. The amount of cash contributions 

 received is given at .*^73,863.47, and the quantity of supplies at 265 car 

 loads, and 11,049 separate packages. The estimated value of supplies 

 is put at 1161,245, which, added to the cash receipts, makes the aggre- 



