APPENDIX XXV. REPORTS FROM MONTANA AND UTAH. [253] 



The wheat in most places was too far advanced to be iDJured by theui, but the barley 

 and oat fields sustained a loss of at least one-third. 



In the central i)oition of Montana there has as yet been but very slijjht damajre. I 

 would, at a. rough estimate, put the loss of barley and oats by the 'hoppers in the 

 whole Territory at only about one-fourth. This is light compared with other seasons. 

 The past three years the crops harvested have been less than one-half. 



The parasite is doing a great service in the destruction of the 'hoppers. In Bitter 

 Root Valley, where they hatched out, the fly killed many of them. I noticed in many 

 places after they left that the grouud was literally covered wiih dead 'lioj)pers, and 

 now here in Eastern Montana the number that are dying is enormous. 



The 'hoppers are now depositing eggs in Eastern Montana but I have not learned of 

 their arrival in any other sections than above named. 



Have occasionally mailed a copy of our paper to you. Would be pleased to have 

 statistics or summary of results of your commission when out, and will take pleasure 

 iu giving you further information if the movements of the 'hoppers develoj) anything 

 further worthy of mention. 



Truly, yours, 

 I R. N. SUTHERLIN. 



Diamond City, Noveiiiber 18^ 1877. 



Dear Sir : There were no eggs laid in the settled portions of Eastern or Central 

 Monana in 1876. But in Western Montana (Missoula County), eggs were deposited 

 iu 187(), and in the following spring (1877) they hatched out and did a considerable 

 danufge to crops, but, when large enough, they flew away, and have not appeared again 

 in that section of the country. 



In Eastern Montana they came in from an easterly direction, and seemed to remain 

 there, only traveling from one field to another. The valleys visited by them were 

 Gallatin, Missouri, Crow, Creek, Jefferson, Sun River, and Madison. In these valleys 

 they destroyed at least one-half of the barley and fully one-third of the oats. The wheat 

 was so far advanced t'jat they could do it but little damage. 



In the valleys above named they have deposited an immense amount of eggs, and 

 many of our farmers are troubled to determine as to how much selling they shall risk. 

 There was no damage by emigrant 'hoppers to crox)S in Deer Lodge and Missoula 

 Counties, nor has there been any eggs deposited there. 



Should you visit Montana agam I would be glad to have you call upon me. 

 Very truly, yours, 



R. N. SUTHERLIN. 



Helena, Montana.— Sv: aims of locusts arrived July 28, 1877, at 8 a. m., the wind 

 blowiug from the southeast to northwest, the weather being clear. The directions of 

 the locusts' flights were from the southeast, and they flew all day. None were hatched 

 here this season, but they did in 1876. In former years they hatched most numerously 

 in the beglDuiu^ of May. This place has been visited more or less every year Birds, 

 domestic fowl, wolves, foxes, badgers, skunks, bears, &c., feed on them. — [James 

 Fergus. 



Canton, Meagher County. — Locust swarms dense enough to cloud the sun arrived from 

 10 a. m. to 5 ^. m., coming from the northeast ; they depart in a southwest direction, 

 the wind being north or northeast. Eggs were laid Ju'y 10, 1877 ; none hatched this 

 year in this vicinity. They usually hatch in April. They acquire their wings July 1, 

 and begin to fly oft" July 4 to 20. Two-row barley and oats suffer most. Six-row bar- 

 ley and wheat are the most easily protected. The young always move in a southwest 

 course. In 1876 there were any amount of young, but no old ones. This locality has 

 been visited every year since 1834 to 1876. — [William G. Tierny. 



Mr. Ernest Ingersoll informs us that he saw swarms of locusts almost all the way 

 from Helena to Fort Benton, for a distance of 60 miles, September 1-7, 1877. 



NOTES FROM UTAH, OBTAINED BY DR. E. PALMER. 



Information obtained from Joseph Bishop, of Adamsville, Utah, eight miles west of 

 Beaver. — This place suffered much by grasshoppers. In 1855 they came ; in August, 

 1S66, they left. The crops of 1855 were nearly all destroyed, but 1855 crop good. In 

 the fall of 1863 the grasshoppers made their appearance, laid their eggs, and these were 

 hatched out in the i?pring of 1867, and for four years the crops might be said to be an- 

 nihilated. The fifth year a little was saved; for instance, one man saved seven bush- 

 els from a twenty-acre field ; another, five bushels from a forty-acre field. At this 

 period there were twenty-six families residing at this place. They suffered a loss of 

 4,500 bushels of grain. The locusts seemed to like wheat, oats, cabbage, rhubarb; 

 and they peeled tue stems of the gooseberry. Barley and currents suffered less. The 



