Grasshoppers 



The ground was literally covered with a seething, kicking mass of 

 hoppers three to four deep. Gradually this struggling horde became 

 quiet, resting in regularly arranged rows and layers. In this position 

 they remained for about four hours, when the work of devastating the 

 fields began. Their work was rapid and thorough and the destruction 

 complete. 



The writer's father describes the work of these hoppers in a corn 

 field as follows : 



"After having rested for about four hours those hoppers next to the 

 corn stalks began to feed upon them near the ground. As this weakened 

 them the stalks fell and were immediately attacked by other hoppers. 

 Stalk after stalk fell, until about sundown, when feeding ceased for the day, 

 less than a hundred stalks remained standing in a 4 acre field. When 

 the hoppers left this field not a vestige of the crop remained excepting the 

 stumps of the corn." 



Garden truck, with the exception of peas, was also completely de- 

 stroyed. Root crops such as beets and turnips were eaten leaf and root. 

 Where each plant stood only a hole in the ground remained. As they 

 devoured these roots the ravenous hoppers fought for a place until their 

 bodies and extended legs resembled a bundle of sticks set on end in a 

 small bowl. 



The third day the hoppers rose and started in a southeasterly direc- 

 tion. They disappeared as suddenly as they came, leaving only bare 

 ground and disheartened farmers behind over an area one hundred miles 

 square. 



Nothing more was seen of the hoppers until early August, when a 

 second but smaller swarm settled on the cropless country covered by the 

 earlier one. This second swarm found little but the prairie grasses to 

 feed upon. However, this furnished sufficient food for them until they 

 had honeycombed fields and prairie with their egg pods. 



The following spring the whole country was a hopping mass of young 

 Rocky Mountain locusts. Then began the fight to destroy this growing 

 army and save what crops had been sown. 



All the young hoppers traveled in one direction. Whichever way 

 they started in the morning was the direction for the day. While they 

 were still small, trenches were dug in front of them into which they fell 

 and in which they were buried. 



The hopper dozer played its part in the fight against the young hop- 

 pers as they became larger and more active. By constant fighting some 

 crops were partially saved, at an enormous cost of time and hard work. 



About the first of June the hoppers, having acquired wings, took 

 flight for parts unknown. 



With the exception of very local outbreaks, which have been quickly 

 brought under control, the Rocky Mountain locust has never since ap- 

 peared within the bounds of the vast territory devastated during 1875 to 

 1877. In those parts of its range where it was most numerous during 

 these years it is almost unknown at the present time. 



Thus one of the most destructive insects of the Western Hemisphere 

 came, devastated vast areas of crops and passed on, never since to appear 

 in anything like the same numbers in any part of its former range. 



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