346 G. E. BODKIN AND L. D. CLEAEE. 



The original swarm in passing over the area had apparently left detachments 

 of varying size in each grant. These had already commenced to feed voraciously 

 on the growing corn and cassava and in many cases had entirely stripped the foliage. 

 Although other cultivated crops were attacked by the adult insects, corn and 

 cassava were specially singled out and destroyed. 



At this stage it can be safely said that with very few exceptions every piece of 

 cultivated land throughout this area contained large numbers of adult locusts. 

 Even the cassava fields of the Aboriginal Indians, which are invariably hidden away 

 in the middle of the forest, did not escape. As cassava is the principal food of 

 such people, the elimination of their crop created a likelihood of starvation in the 

 near future. 



The attitude of the farmers towards the locusts was in the majority of cases one 

 of indifference. Some took up a position of helpless despair, while others 

 assumed that the insects would go as they had come. A few evinced an 

 inclination to destroy them, but soon lost heart as the difficulty of the task became 

 evident. No farmer that I encountered supposed for one moment that the locusts 

 would lay eggs and increase a thousand-fold. They were soon disillusioned, how- 

 ever. I describe the mental aspect of these people as it has considerable bearing 

 on the methods employed by the Government to suppress the locusts as completely 

 as possible. 



After a stay of about 15 days in the North West another tour was made of the 

 Essequibo Coast, Pomeroon River, and some districts on the Moruca River. Scattered 

 infestations, some exceedingly severe, were found in Essequibo, the plants attacked 

 being much the same as in the North West. Some of the large areas under sugar- 

 cane were infested by the locusts. A large number of the farms belonging to the 

 coastland villages were attacked, as well as the cassava grounds of the 

 Aboriginal Indians living on some large fresh-water lakes about four miles inland. 



Many of the agricultural grants in the Pomeroon were found to contain innumerable 

 locusts. These areas have been cultivated for a much longer period than those 

 in the North West, consequently many of them contain fully established permanent 

 crops, such as coffee and coconuts. A few instances occurred where coconut palms 

 were defoliated, but the coffee was untouched. Large areas of corn were damaged, 

 also cassava. A somewhat more intelligent class of farmer exists in this district, 

 and the situation was therefore better understood. On the Moruca River, at the 

 various Indian settlements and Missions, the locusts were greatly in evidence and 

 had played havoc with the cassava crop. 



Shortly after my return from this visit the expected report came in from the 

 North West that the locusts had commenced to deposit their eggs. A further 

 visit was paid and the report confirmed. Similar reports followed from the other 

 districts. 



The appearance of the hoppers in vast swarms soon followed. Early in the 

 campaign a notice was prepared dealing with the nature and dangerous possibilities 

 of the locust invasion. Remedial measures were also suggested in accordance 

 with practices which had proved successful in other countries. This was printed 

 in the Official Gazette and reprints were widely and copiously distributed within 

 the invaded districts. 



