﻿OF IHE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 7^ 



gate benefactions over ^235,000. In addition to this, the United States 

 have given nearly $100,000 in rations and clothing, and over $7,000 has 

 been sent directly to the various counties from the east, and is not in- 

 cluded in the committee's reported receipts. It is safe to say, counting ■ 

 everything, that fully four hundred and fifty thousand dollars in money 

 and supplies were sent into Kansas since the 20th of November^ 

 1874, for the relief of the locust sufferers. The largest amount of 

 money was contributed by California, and the largest quantity of 

 supplies by Illinois. 



The following observations were made at the Signal Service Sta- 

 tion at Leavenworth: 



On the 6th of June last, the locusts were seen flying: foe the first time this 

 year. They were flying north. At times, when the wind was due north and brisk,^ 

 their direction would be apparently west, but a close observation would show that they 

 retained their northerly direction. Lartje hordes could be seen flying almost every day 

 for two weeks, but as they were flying at a great height, and also owing to the bril- 

 liancy of a Summer sun, it was impossible to observe their size and;thickness. On the 

 20th of June, those that were tlying norch disappeared. On July the Gch and 7th, two- 

 large hordes were seen flying southeast ; with this single exception, the locusts were 

 flying in a northerly direction in 1875. The locusts of this year flew apparently but a 

 short distance north, and this is supposed to be due to the fact that they were destroyed 

 by a small insect that could be seen in multitudes through a microscope upon the- 

 greater number of those that were full grown. 



Nebraska. — The hatching grounds of the locusts in this State were 

 limited to the district immediately bordering on the Missouri River^ 

 and a comparatively small area suffered from their attacks during the 

 period of development. The populous and highly cultivated counties 

 of Nemaha, Richardson and Otoe were most severely ravaged. In 

 these a very large proportion of the Spring crops of all kinds were 

 devoured by the young hoppers, while the attacks of the insects on 

 nursery stock, following those of their progenitors of the previous 

 year, entailed losses which it will take several years to repair. Por- 

 tions of Adams, Cass, Lancaster, Seward, Josephine, Miller, Saline and 

 Table Rock counties were also put under contribution for the susten- 

 ance of home-bred schools; but in thece the damage was local, and, 

 with a few exceptions, inconsiderable. From the data at hand it 

 would appear that the insects hatched remarkably late, and it was 

 not until about the 20th of May that their depredations became seri- 

 ous. As in Missouri and Kansas, the farmers energetically defended 

 their crops by means of ditching, burning and coal oil traps. For the 

 latter the insects seemed to have a great affinity, and once thoroughly 

 immersed in the fluid, they were sure to die. Before the armies which 

 had been bred within its borders were fully developed, Nebraska re- 

 ceived transient but repeated visits from the migrating swarms of 

 more southerly latitudes, on their way toward the northwest, and with 



