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is out of the question. There are also numerous instances in fenced dis- 

 tricts where its use is impracticable and out of the question ; as, for ex- 

 ample, in pastures and grain-fields as well as in the garden. In these 

 latter instances, therefore, it is necessary that other remedies be adopted. 

 I therefore suggested the use of the coal-tar and kerosene pans and the 

 various other machines and contrivances which have been used with 

 success in other locust districts in times past. As a sample and illus- 

 tration of their use I had one of these constructed, and had the satis- 

 faction of seeing it adopted by almost every planter in the immediate 

 neighborhood, as well as by others throughout the region afflicted. 

 While this latter remedy or contrivance did not meet the approval of 

 some of the larger planters, it was very popular with the colored pop- 

 ulation, who are exceedingly superstitious concerning the use of poisons 

 of all kinds. It was also quickly adopted by persons of limited means, 

 or where the locusts were confined to small patches and could be readily 

 destroyed in a few days with a small machine dragged over the ground 

 by hand. 



In addition to the foregoing remedies one gentleman told me of a 

 plan he had adopted for destroying the hoppers upon his place. It 

 was about as follows : Having noticed that a certain piece of neglected 

 ground had been largely used by the locusts last fall for depositing 

 their eggs, he decided to plow it up this spring and, if possible, prevent 

 them from hatching. When plowing began it was found that most of 

 the eggs were thrust among the roots of large grass clumps. He there- 

 fore mustered all hands together and set them to gathering these clumps 

 of grass and hauling them into piles which were afterwards set on fire 

 and burned, thus destroying the locust eggs which they contained. 

 Xo less than nine wagon loads of the grass clumps were thus gathered 

 and burned, and this evidently did much good. Others who have recog- 

 nized the insectivorous nature of fowls, and especially of the guinea- 

 hen and turkey, have begun rearing these in large numbers. I also 

 suggest to the planters in general that they protect the quails and quit 

 shooting them for several years, since they, too, are of great aid as 

 insect destroyers. 



At this time locusts are present in damaging numbers in the follow- 

 ing counties as nearly as I could ascertain by inquiry and travel : Wash- 

 ington, Burleson, Lee, Fayette, Austin, Grimes and Waller, and of 

 these only Washington, Austin, Grimes and Waller have reported the 

 loss of crops during last year from their ravages. This section lies just 

 between the two " cross timbers" of east Central Texas and borders the 

 prairie country. Judging from the timbered nature of this portion of 

 the State, the climate as a rule must be rather more humid than it has 

 been during the past few years, and consequently cannot always be 

 overrun by locusts, if, as we understand it, aridity is favorable to the 

 rapid increase of these insects. With the present warfare against them, 

 if continued during the spring and summer into the fall, there certainly 



