64 



owner? for their crops destroyed, in payment of the workers who 

 came from places farther than 7 versts, etc. For the crops destroyed 

 while lighting the insects the owners are reimbursed to the amount of 

 the value of the seeds, the cost of cultivation, and the rent for the 

 land. 



In the Orgueyeev district, over an area of 2,000,000 acres, the tight 

 against the Italian grasshoppers in 1897 required more than 26,000 

 adult workers, 20,000 boys, and over 2,000 wagons. 



In the Kherson government the Odessa district zyemstvo spent in 

 fighting the Italian grasshoppers in 1895, 4,000 rubles; in 1896, 20,000 

 rubles (paying to the workingmen 25 cents per day. young lads 12^ 

 cents, to children 6i cents, and for man and wagon 50 cents, and 12% 

 cents, besides, for each pood of grasshoppers killed and collected); and 

 in 1897, 9.5()(> rubles. 



In the Taurida government the Dnieper district zyemstvo reports 

 that the lighting of the grasshoppers pursued by it at a great outlay of 

 money during three years is quite successful, as witnessed, among other 

 things, by the considerable falling off of the expenses: The expendi- 

 tures in 1894 were 37,000 rubles; in 1895, 9,000 rubles; and in 1896, 

 only 2,760 rubles. 



The Kursk, Ryazan. Voronezh, and Saratov governments light the 

 Italian grasshoppers by similar methods. 



(r) Gomphocerus sibiricus, Stenobothrus elega/ns, Stenobothrus mela- 

 nopterus, Psophus striduhis, Bryodema tuberculata, Stauronotus cruci- 

 atus or Stethopkyma flavicosta, Stethophyma fuscum, and Pezotettix 

 pedestris. — These do much damage, chiefly in the east of European 

 Russia, in the Ural region, and in western Siberia. 



The zyemstvos of the Ufa, Vyatka. Perm, Nizhni Novgorod, and 

 Kostroma governments conduct the light against these insects on lines 

 similar to those described with regard to the grasshoppers. 



MEANS OF COMBATTING THE GlfASSIK H'PERS. 



(1) Shallow replowing or harrowing in the autumn of those places 

 which are infested with the eggs of the grasshoppers, etc., is one of 

 the best and most effective measures. By shallow plowing, 2 to 2\ 

 inches deep, the eggs are turned out to the surface of the ground and 

 perish, partly from atmospheric conditions and partly from birds. 



(2) Burning up by means of straw is practiced with great success to 

 the destruction of the larvae of the grasshoppers. The straw is usually 

 piled up in the field in a few places; the larvae gather to these piles 

 toward evening in large numbers in search of drier places; the straw 

 is then ignited simultaneously from all sides. In extreme cases, when 

 it is too late to drive out the insects from among the crops, the crops 

 themselves are burned up. For cereals thus destroyed the owners 



