Habits, and Power for Injury. 



93 



first suggested, there is probably a connection between 

 this dislike and the large number of such plants found on 

 the western plains. 



In 1874, in Missouri, plants belonging to the Nightshade 

 family (Solanacece) generally escaped their ravages ; the 

 tops of potatoes and tomatoes were not eaten. Sweet 

 potatoes, parsnips, castor-beans, butter-beans, carrots, 

 celery and the tops of beets were not molested. They did 

 no damage to broom-corn or sorghum. Tobacco was in 

 most cases not eaten, and if eaten, it is reported as killing 

 the locusts. Prairie grass, wild weeds and the leaves of 

 most forest trees were left uninjured. Plants growing in 

 wet places, or in the shade of trees, hills, etc., mostly 

 escaped injury. Finally, when pushed to extremities, 

 there is only one plant — the little Amarantus above men- 

 tioned — that I have found that they will not touch. 



INJURY TO FRUIT AND FRUIT TREES. 



It is doubtful if grain-growers and stock-raisers suffer as 

 much in the end as fruit-growers, from locust injuries. 

 The injury is at first less felt by these, but in many in- 

 stances it is more lasting and serious. Most trees survive 

 one or two defoliations, but in many cases no leaves are 

 permitted to grow for weeks, just at the season when they 

 are most needed. This was especially the case in 1875 

 with low shrubs, such as gooseberries and currants, in 

 which the insects were fond of roosting. Where not ex- 

 cessively numerous, heart-cherries were preferred over 

 others, and the insects would pass through a strawberry 

 bed and only clean out the weeds. A great many trees 

 were killed outright, and it was often found necessary to 

 cut down the grape-vines. Trees not killed were often 

 badly barked and lost many limbs, and except where pro- 

 tected by ditches, no orchards yielded fruit. Many trees 



