OUTLOOK IN IOWA IN JUNE. 15 



ance of the locust and of its eggs during the last few years east of the Rocky Mountains 

 has given all locust-feeding animals a bountiful supply of food. They have, therefore, 

 not only thriven and multiplied, but many whiuh do not normally feed upon the insect 

 have acquired the habit.. In Iowa, as elsewhere, these natural enemies — especially in- 

 sectivorous birds — have done exceptionally good work ; a work furthered by the weather, 

 which retarded and rendered very irregular the development of the insect. 



The farmers. — Who have been better organized and more determined to make war, 

 and who have used better means and methods than in former years. 



GENERAL SURVEY OF THE FIELD. 



As you are probably aware, the locusts reached the farthest east along the line of the 

 Chicago and Northwestern, and the egg-deposit receded from Story County south west- 

 wardly. Throughout the northern and eastern portion of this area the damage has 

 been so trifling that it is scarcely worth mentioning. The corn, from too much cold 

 and wet, is backward, and the weeds have on all low land got an unfavorable start of 

 the cultivator; much of it also rotted and necessitated replanting; but the spring 

 wheat (Fall wheat is too apt to spring-kill and is uncertain) and other small grain could 

 not well look better. The greatest injury has been south and west, along the Missouri 

 and along the Wahaboncey. As a general thing, the injury has been greatest along 

 streams, where the insects hatched later and obtained greater protection from cold or 

 storm. In these less-favored parts, however, there is no single farm that presents the 

 desolate aspect so general two years ago. In restricted spots the insects are quite 

 thick, and have done slight injury, but in a general way the prospects were seldom 

 brighter. 



WHAT WILL HAPPEN. 



The insects have been getting wings in increasing numbers during the past week. 

 These will rise from day to day, as the wind and weather permit, and fly away to the 

 north and northwest. This, on account of the irregular hatching and the great diver- 

 sity of size in the insects now here, will continue for the next iwo or three weeks, and 

 the flights will consequently be so scattering as scarcely to be noticed. In the north- 

 eastern counties visited the farmers are out of danger. The insects are not more 

 numerous than indigenous species sometimes are in dry seasons east of the Mississippi, 

 and the vegetation is so rank that they can make no appreciable effect upon it. In the 

 southwest counties there will be greater injury, and you may expect to hear of a corn- 

 field cleaned out here, and a wheat-field more or less damaged there, where no precau- 

 tion is taken against such an occurrence. Yet here, also, the average loss will be 

 slight — no greater than it has been in Texas and South Kansas, where generally excel- 

 lent crops have been or are being harvested. In fact, very much the same conditions 

 prevail in the counties bordering on the Missouri east as in those in Nebraska west — 

 where Professors Thomas and Aughey, on behalf of the Commission, have been making 

 extended observations, and conclude that the loss from locust depredations will be so 

 slight that its effect upon the State will scarcely be felt. 



LESS FAVORABLE IN NORTHWESTERN IOWA. 



Judging from numerous reports which reach me, the outlook is less favorable in the 

 northwest counties. Indeed, from Humboldt and Kossuth Counties westward, the 

 counties are far more gloomy. Professor Thomas has charge of that part of the State, 

 and is now there. Much can be done to allay unnecessary alarm, and you may expect 

 to hear from him. 



SUGGESTIVE NOTES. 



In passing through the magnificently fertile southwestern counties of your State, 

 two things were particularly noticeable: 



First. The want of diversity in culture. Corn is too supremely king. Some town- 

 ships are one vast corn-field ; and while the farmer generally instinctively plants that 

 which pays him the best, he often does so from habit and imitation. In a country 



