APPENDIX VI. — IOWA DATA FOR 1877. [109] 



the destruction of the growing crops by the grasshoppers in this section. The 

 opinion at which we arrive is, that in limited j^ortious, where the soil has been 

 favorable to the i^reservation of the eugs, they are sweeping everything before 

 them. A few days ago we visited Mr. J. D. Sells, who resides seven or eight miles 

 north of town, and a part of whose farm is in Wright and a part in this county. He 

 sowed a field of 26 acres with wheat, which came up and grew very finely. Ten or 

 twelve days ago it was deemed far better than the average, and gave promise of an abund- 

 ant crop. But the grasshoppers began hatching and eating, and when we saw the 

 field three days ago the grain was entirely exterminated, with the exception of less 

 than half an acre growing on wet ground. Not only had the insects devoured the 

 blades and stalks, but they had eaten up even the roots and all the tender, succulent 

 weeds. The ground was as free from vegetation as a brick-yard. After clearing otf 

 the field, the insects emigrated to a tract of prairie adjoining, upon which the grass 

 had not been burned last fall, where they were *' going for" the tender grass which 

 was springing up. Mr. Sells set fire to the dead grass when the wind was high, and it 

 was burned cTver in a very few minutes. He is of the opinion that he destroyed at 

 least 20 bushels of 'hoppers by this one effort. The field he is now plowing up for the 

 purpose of planting it with corn. This tract is high and rolling, and the soil is dry 

 and sandy. In a neighboring field about six acres of wheat on similar land has also 

 been eaten up. But this, we believe, is the extent of the damage in this vicinity. 

 There were great clouds of smoke rolling over the prairie off to the southwest, where 

 we presume other farmers were giving the insects the '' heroic " treatment. We do 

 not believe that there is to be very general or wide spread destruction of crops ; but 

 we shall be greatly mistaken if many of our farmers do not meet with losses very 

 similar to that of Mr. Sells. The insects were still hatching on this land, while some 

 of them were fully three-fourths of an inch in length. — \_Hamilton Freeman, Webster 

 City, June 6. 



A few 'hoppers are still hatching, but the numbers are small. The wheat is getting 

 rather tall for catching them now, but a great many bushels have been killed around 

 here. About ten days ago I saw a patch of last summer's breaking, fifteen acres, which 

 was seeded with barley, on which about eight bushels had been killed, and there were 

 more there yet, but the owner was determined to continue with the sheet-iron pan 

 until all were destroyed, to keep them from his wheat, and I am certain he would 

 manage it. As yet very little damage has been done to the crop, and we have seen no 

 full-grown ones. — [Andrew Barr, Carroll County, June 16. 



All efforts to reduce them by machines seem of no avail. It is estimated in Chero- 

 kee County that one thousand bushels have been destroyed, but still the crops are 

 about gone up ; their wings have started, and unless they soon leave, the crops will be 

 an entire failure. All that have been destroyed cannot be missed. — [W. Tucker, 

 Chickasaw, June 18. 



Pottawattamie County, June 23.— Very rainy here for last eleven weeks. Wheat 

 and oats look very promising. Corn a poor stan^ and backward. Not much hog 

 cholera this summer. 'Hoppers are damaging the crops on many farms and cleaning- 

 out many gardens. 



Cherokee County, June 26. — Corn is rather backward, and some has had to be 

 replanted; many fields where the wheat was eaten by grasshoxDpers have been planted 

 in corn. Wheat and oats look fair where they have not been eaten up by grasshop- 

 pers. They are still here and at work, and some are afraid they will take a large share 

 of the crops before they leave. — \_Western Ilural. 



My locality is two or three counties east of where these pests have been operating. 

 Last fall a few eggs were deposited in the northwest corner of our county (Story), and 

 were hatched this season, but not enough to do any damage. These are all ever 

 known in this county, except in the summer and fall of 1866. — [E. G. Day, Nevada, 

 June 28. 



Clay County, Jul]) 4.— Corn good generally. Spring-wheat good where 'hoppers 

 have not destroyed it. Oats very good. 'Hoppers nearly gone. 



Humboldt County, Juhj 10. — Corn doing finely. Spring-wheat good. 'Hoppers 

 haA-e damaged a few pieces badly. — [ V/estern BuraL 



During the season I have observed locusts here in some parts in considerable num- 

 bers, but in no case have they been numerous enough to do any damage. No swarms 

 have at any time within twelve or fifteen years come nearer to us than Des Moines, 

 Iowa.— [F. M. Witter, Muscatine, November 1, 1877. 



In 1868, according to the second biennial report of the Agricultural College, "grass- 

 hoppers were abundant at Ames." I did not see them, as I was not then a resident of 

 Iowa. In all probability they were the Eocky Mountain locust. In 1873 and 1874 a 

 few specimens of C. spretus were picked up on the college grounds. Considerably 

 more were found in 1875, while in 1876 they were abundant. In the fall of the last- 

 named year they laid many eggs in Central Iowa. In the spring of 1877 they hatched, 



