23 



from insects should support a cow to each acre through the entire sea- 

 son. It is certain that much of this loss can be prevented by simple 

 aud inexpensive means. The capturing of the moths of Turf Web-worms 

 and Cut-worms will help much in reducing their number. Grasshop- 

 pers can be destroyed at the same time that Leaf-hoppers are, and by 

 use of the same means, and it would seem certain that a method costing 

 but 2 to 10 cents per acre might be applied with great profit for these 

 insects alone. It is my object here, however, to treat in detail only of 

 the remedies tried or proposed for Leaf-hoppers. 



APPEARANCE AND HABITS OF LEAF-HOPPERS (JASSID^E). 



The insects embraced in this group are almost all small and rather 

 slender insects, with blunt or pointed heads aud well-developed wings, 

 which at rest lie parallel along the back, usually sloping like a roof, 

 or partly inclosing the body. One of the most characteristic features, 

 however, is their habit of leaping when disturbed. All the species pos- 

 sess this habit, though some do not leap as readily as others. The largest 

 species common to grass are not over half an inch in length, while the 

 smaller ones are less than an eighth of an inch long. Many of the spe- 

 cies are extremely light and slender, almost invisible except when care- 

 fully observed, while others have short, thick bodies. Their colors are 

 well adapted to furnish them protection, many being green, others 

 yellowisn or brownish, and in many cases they will not be noticed at 

 all on the grass until they leap, and then it is usually because of the 

 swarm that rise together that they become noticeable. All feed by 

 puncturing the plant and sucking out the juicy contents of the leaves 

 or stems. All, so far as known, puncture leaves or stems of plants to 

 deposit their eggs, frequently placing them under the epidermis only. 

 The larvae are commonly somewhat spiny at first and have the general 

 form of the adults, passing by gradual development with little change 

 through pupa stage to adult. Most of the species, if not all, pass the 

 winter as adults. 



REMEDIES FOR LEAF HOPPERS. 







Burning.— For those species of leaf-hoppers which hibernate in grass, 

 and especially those which are active there during late fall and early 

 spring, a thorough burning over should prove of great advantage. 

 The Leaf-hoppers leap readily, but do not ordinarily fly any distance, 

 and especially when the weather is cool would be unable to escape from 

 the flames. In two pieces of grass land burnt over last spring and con- 

 venient for observation one showed fairly good results, keeping its color 

 well till late in summer, though surrounded by grass land, unburnt, ou 

 three sides. The other, a pasture of some size, was in poor condition 

 all summer; but in this Turf Web-worms and Cut-worms were so 

 plenty that they alone were sufficient to account for its poor condition. 



