48 GRASSHOPPERS IN GENERAL. 



these pairs, three pairs in the thorax and five pairs in the abdomen, 

 are joined to each other and to the ones of the corresponding side by 

 a cord of nerve tissue known as a cpmmissure. This forms a double 

 chain from the back part of the body up to the head, where a nerve 

 band is formed around the esophagus ; 011 the top of the esophagus 

 are to be found the two largest ganglia in the body of the insect. 

 These two ganglia found above the esophagus might be looked upon 

 as the brain proper. From these there go out branches of nerves to 

 the eyes, to the antennae, to the maxillse and mandibles, and other 

 parts of the face. 



MEASURES OF PREVENTION. 



It is stated in sacred writ that there may come a time in the life of 

 a man when the grasshopper shall be a burden. While this prophecy 

 referred to the closing days of a man's life, it is evident that under 

 certain conditions the grasshoppers might become a burden before 

 man will have reached the time when the grinders cease because they 

 are few. To avoid this burden, then, is a matter which will interest 

 every one concerned, and to this subject we will now devote our at- 

 tention, under the head of "Measures of Prevention"; and in this 

 connection we will not discuss remedies in general, but those which 

 we have actually tried in the localities interested, and which have 

 proven most successful. We are glad to say that our experience has 

 shown that in the cases under observation it is not by killing two 

 birds with one stone, but rather three birds, instead of two. have 

 been hit with the same missile. 



As before stated, the conditions which favor the rapid multiplica- 

 tion of this species are, the soil undisturbed by cultivation, and food- 

 plants which send forth nourishing vegetation early in the spring. 

 These conditions are to be found in Kansas wherever alfalfa is sown 

 and not cultivated thereafter, and where the small grain, such as bar- 

 ley and wheat, are sown without the ground being previously stirred. 

 Wherever we have found these conditions we have found this species 

 of grasshopper in burdensome numbers, together with other kinds of 

 locusts in lesser numbers. 



In the first place, I should like to call the attention of those inter- 

 ested to the subject of the value of cultivating wheat ground before 

 sowing the seed. In making this suggestion, I am fully aware there 

 is an opinion prevalent in the western part of this state that more 

 wheat can be raised upon ground into which the seed has been placed 

 without previous preparation than upon the same ground after having 

 received some cultivation. While I am aware that this belief of the 

 farmers is based upon observation covering several years, I believe 

 that observations proving the contrary can be found. 



