﻿lOS NINTH ANNUAL REPORT 



Resolved, That we deem it the duty of the National Government to malce some 

 effort to destroj'or counteract this ofreat pest, and thus prevent its injuries. 



Renoloed, That we believe the tirst step in this matter should be a thorough inves- 

 tigation into the history and liabits of this insect, in its native haunts as well as in the 

 sections visited by it, and the search for all possible means of its extermination, and 

 remedial agencies which may be used against it. 



Resolved, That we believe this can be accomplished in the shortest time, at the 

 least expense and most effectually by attaching a special commission for this purpose, 

 to one^of the Government Surveys sent out annually to the West; and, therefore, we 

 suggest that the following be added to that clause of the Sundry Civil yVppropriation 

 Bill, making an appropriation for the geological and geographical survey of the Ter- 

 ritories : "And also the further sum of twenty-tive thousand dollars for tiie purpose of 

 paying the salaries and expenses < f a commission to consist ot three entomologists and 

 two Western men who have had experience vvith the locusts, to be appointed by the 

 Chief of said survey, \».ith the consent and approval of the Secretary of the Interior. 

 It shall be the duty of said commissioners to examine into the history and habits of 

 the said locust, and make report thereon, and also suggest such means of destroy- 

 ing them or remedies against them as their investigations shall prove most practi- 

 cable." 



Resolved, That it is our belief that the Signal Service might materially aid such a 

 commission as here demanded, in performing the work, by regular observations made 

 of the time, direction, extent of ffights, time of hatching and leaving of the young 

 locusts, etc.; also, by announcing in the dally weather reports the appearance and pro- 

 gress of the swarms; and we ask of Congress to grant to Gen. Myer such additional 

 assistance and means as will enable him to carry out this work. 



Resolved, That the President of the Conference be requested to draw up and 

 present to the President of the United States, a letter setting forth the urgent neces- 

 sity for some action on the part of the General Government in behalf of the sec- 

 tions ravaged, in reference to the invasions of and destruction occasioned by the 

 locusts. 



Resolved, That each of the Governors of the following vStates and Territories, to- 

 Avit: Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Colorado, Wyoming, 

 Dakota and Montana, be requested to transmit to their respective delegations a record of 

 these proceedings, requesting them to urge upon Congress speedy action in this matter, 

 in accordance witii the recommendations of this Conference. 



A committee consisting of John S. Pillsbury, Pennock Pusey, and 

 myself, was appointed to prepare for publication the official report of 

 Proceedings, together with a summary of the best means known for 

 counteracting the evil; and 10,000 copies of a pamphlet of 72 pages 

 were accordingly published last Fall. By being widely distributed^ 

 this pamphlet has undoubtedly done much good, and had no small 

 share in bringing about certain much needed State and National legis- 

 lation. 



REMEDIES AND SUGGESTIONS. 



As the people in the threatened counties already enumerated 

 {ante^ p. 67) will, in all probability, go through much the same expe- 

 rience this year, that the farmers of the afflicted counties went 

 through in 1S75, there will be a large demand for information as to 

 how best to manage and destroy the young insects. In the hope that 

 this Report will be distributed at an early day, 1 have thought best to 

 repeat here some of the recommendations made in my last Report^ 

 and in the Omaha pamphlet. 



Destruction of the Young ok uni'ledgkd Locusts. — Ileavy rolling, where 

 the surface of the soil is sufficiently ffrm and even, destroys a large number of these 



