GRASSHOPPERS IN GENERAL. 49 



In substantiating this statement. I refer to a tract of land near 

 Goodland, Kan., the circumstances of which were related to me by 

 Mr. Wm. Walker and Mr. G. L. Calvert, both of Goodland. This 

 piece of land produced this year thirty-five bushels to the acre, and 

 gave a quality of wheat that tested sixty-three pounds to the bushel. 

 A number of pieces of wheat in the same locality were seeded by sow- 

 ing in the stubble and gave only nominal yields. In this connection, 

 it might be well also to mention the Campbell soil-culture method, 

 which consists largely of thoroughly cultivating the upper layer of 

 the soil and then thoroughly packing the same. Very favorable re- 

 ports have been received concerning the results derived from this sys- 

 tem of tilling the soil. And further, I am glad to make an extract 

 here from a letter received from Hon. B. A. McAllaster, land commis- 

 sioner of the Union Pacific railway. The extensive landed interests 

 of Mr. McAllaster bring him in contact with many different soils, 

 different climates, and different methods of culture. These facts make 

 him speak advisedly when he says : 



UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY, LAND DEPARTMENT, 



OMAHA, NEB., August 18, 1898. 



DEAR SIR I am particularly impressed with the statement made by you in 

 the latter part of the paper, to the effect that the action of western farmers in 

 not plowing their land except in periods of three to five years apart, is one of the 

 principal causes for the increase of grasshoppers. It is and has been my opinion, 

 very frequently expressed, that the crop failures in the western part of the state, 

 which have been experienced during the past few years, are to a considerable 

 extent due to this failure to properly plow and cultivate the land. It seems to 

 me that a farm should be plowed every year in western Kansas, just the same as 

 it is in other parts of the universe, and if, as alleged by the farmers as an excuse 

 for their methods out there, the plowing of the ground allows the seed to be 

 blown away by the high winds, that could be overcome by rolling the ground 

 after plowing, or by using a subsurface packer. I believe that if I were a west- 

 ern farmer, I would prefer taking my chances of seed being blown away, rather 

 than having the crop eaten up by the grasshoppers. Yours truly, 



B. A. MCALLASTER, Land Commissioner. 



The reader is also referred to the letters of Mr. C. J. Momyer, on 

 page 15, and Mr. D. A. Long, on page 17, for opinions upon soil cul- 

 ture in western Kansas. 



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