51 
beyond them. Here I noticed a number of grasshoppers dead from the 
attacks of parasitic Tachina. 
From this field-I went to another, owned by the same man, which was 
also well filled with grasshoppers, but the injury here was less, espe- 
cially around the buildings, where a large number of turkeys were doing 
excellent service in killing the hoppers and at the same time adding 
rapidly to their own weight. 
In a field of sorghum directly adjoining there was also considerable 
injury, but differentialis seemed Scarce, while a bright green Species, 
Acridium frontalis Thos., was abundant and apparently the principal 
agent of destruction. This species was also noticed here and in other 
places occurring in great abundauce on the wild sunflower so common 
on these plains, and the question arose whether this was not its natural 
food plant and its attacks on Sorghum incidental. 
The day following I spent the forenoon with Dr. Sabin, who kindly 
furnished a horse and eart and accompanied me in examining a num- 
ber of farms within five miles of Garden City, where alfalfa fields and 
orchards were injured. I met and talked with a number of farmers who 
had suffered from grasshopper depredations, and the information re- 
ceived from them with what I gained by personal observation satisfied 
me that losses could be avoided by proper measures. 
I learned that the same injuries extended farther west alon g the river 
where alfalfa was grown, and I proceeded from Garden City to Lakin, 
observing on the way that all alfalfa fields showed presence of grass- 
hoppers, but that in some cases the bloom was still free from serious 
injury or destroyed only in patches. At Lakin I learned that injury 
had been serious, especially on the place of Mr. Longstreth, some two 
miles from town. Some fields neat the river and occupying low land 
were noticed in full bloom and showing little damage, but still grags- 
hoppers could be found in abundance by closer inspection of the fields. 
Mr. Longstreth’s son, being in town, drove me out to his father’s farm, 
and accompanied me ona tour through his extensive orchard of ten acres, 
his oat fields and alfalfa fields, in ali of which the damage had been 
Serious. Many of the trees in the orchard were entirely stripped of 
leaves, and in some cases the bark had been eaten from the limbs. The 
alfalfa presented the same appearance as observed in other fields. [ 
found here a great many dead grasshoppers, whose empty shells at- 
tested the activity of Tachine. 
_ Iwas told by Mr. Longstreth that skunks were amongst the most 
active enemies of the grasshoppers, and he believed played ain important 
part in reducing them. He had even seen one up in anapple tree catch- 
ing hoppers on the limbs. 
I learned at Lakin that alfalfa was also grown in the next county 
West, at Syracuse, and that damage was also reported there, but on 
Teaching the place found the injury slight as compared with the other 
places visited. In fact, aside from one farm on which Some damage to 
