PREVENTIVE MEASURES AGAINST THE WINGED INSECTS. 417 



a few weeks measurably rout the pygmean army, and materially assist 

 the farmer iu his ditching operatious. 



" As to the best means of disposing of the slaughtered locusts, the 

 easiest and most generally employed are burning and burying. Yet 

 the insects might be turned to good advantage as manure, or sun-dried 

 and preserved in cakes to feed to hogs, poultry, &c., and where large 

 quantities are destroyed under a bounty system, some such means of 

 making the most of them should be considered. 



PREVENTIVE MEASURES AGAINST THE WINGED INSECTS. 



The remedies and means so far recommended in this chapter look to 

 the destruction of the insects when once they have fallen upon the more 

 fertile country, or are hatching or likely to hatch therein. We hope we 

 have shown that it is quite possible to cope with the young insects under 

 almost any circumstances, and that this part of the locust problem may 

 be considered solved. It was to this part of the problem, also, that the 

 labors of the Commission were more particularly devoted during the last 

 year-, because the season was most opportune for that purpose j and we 

 have already pointed out in the introduction that our labors in this line 

 I)re vented a complete and exhaustive study of the other part of the 

 problem, viz, how best to prevent the winged insects from overrunning 

 the more fertile country or the Temporary region in which the species 

 is not indigenous. It is to this part of the problem that the Comrrission 

 intends to direct its efforts in future, with every hope of success, and it 

 is for this purpose of rendering the investigation as complete as possi- 

 ble that we have appealed to Congress for the means. 



The coming season will be as favorable for the solution of this second 

 part of the inquiry as the past was for that of the first part ; since there 

 is no further need of spending time in the Temporary region, and we 

 shall find a normal state of things in the permanent region. JSTot until 

 we have devoted another season (and perhaps several will be required) 

 to the work, shall we be able to satisfactorily answer the great question 

 that is so frequently asked : " Cannot something be done to protect the 

 farmer from the flying swarms?" in other words, "to prevent the mi- 

 grations of the winged insects from their permanent breeding-grounds, 

 to which, in ordinary seasons, they are confined F^ 



For the present we must content ourselves with pointing out the pos- 

 sibilities in the case, so far as our last year's experience has thrown 

 light on the subject. Of the different means that have been suggested 

 by which to avoid the incursions of the winged hordes from the Ifforth- 

 west the following may be mentioned : 1. The protection and encourage- 

 ment to the increase of the native locust-feeding birds. 2. The introduc- 

 tion of foreign locust-feeding birds. 3. Inducements offered to the In- 

 dians to collect and destroy the eggs and young. 4. Destroying the eggs 

 or young by making the greatest possible use by artificial means of the 

 natural water-supply. 5. Burning the young in spring. 6. Diverting 

 winged swarms by means of smoke. 

 27 G 



