December, '15] 



WEBSTER: GRASSHOPPER CONTROL 



531 



seems to be something in the nature of the molasses or syrup used as is 

 evidenced by the results obtained in Arizona. 



Perhaps, as indicating the rapid advancement in applied entomol- 

 ogy, we might present as a contrast the following extracts from Curios- 

 itaten der Physisch-Uhrarisch-artistisch-historischen Vor- und Mitwelt, 

 etc., periodical published by Vulpius in Weimar 1811, I, p. 390: 



"Aventinus relates the oldest instance in the Bavarian Chronik (p. 302) at the 

 time of King Ludwig IV (reigned 936-954) the large grasshoppers came on the Rhine 

 and devoured cereals, grasses, and vegetation of that kind. The priests held great 

 processions, parading with the sacred objects about the fields, and prayers in the 

 churches, in a word, a great spiritual agitation developed, 'but nothing would help,' 

 adds the chronicler." 



"In the 14th century, relates Uland in his writings on the history of poetry and 

 sayings, the Bishops of Thur and Lausanne spoke to the entire church train about 

 the robber fishes, earth worms and grasshoppers. Previously there used to take place 

 a regular trial before the church court with aU the rules of jurisprudence, the defend- 

 ants were caUed, an attorney was assigned them on appearance, who dealt with the 

 prosecutor, and then only rendered decision." 



"As late as 1479 in the Canton of Bern there was great insect damage. The dep- 

 redators were invited before the church court of the Bishops of Lausanne, to which 

 diocese Bern then belonged, and after trial they were solemnly given the ban in the 

 name of the holy Trinity. The Bern city recorder, who presents this fact, adds that 

 'it did not help.' " 



There are occasions when the use of a hopperdozer is, temporarily 

 at least, profitable, as for instance while the materials to be used in the 

 baits, and which are not always quickly obtainable , are being secured, 

 and when it is desirable to put immediate stop to the work of these 

 pests. A cheap and easil}^ constructed hopperdozer (see fig. 21) has 

 been devised by the farmers of Kansas which may be described as 

 follows: The frame is constructed of two by fours (2 x 6 is better if 

 land is rough and hilly), 16 feet long, with 4 compartments to keep 

 from sloping endwise on side hill land, and the width of a sheet of 

 galvanized iron. Have runner on each end and one in middle, put on 

 with screws; 2 iron loops on each end, 3 or 4 on back side. Make 

 wooden standards 36 inches (or the width of common cotton factory 

 cloth) long to fit in the loops, with shoulder so they will not slip down. 

 Put them in place, then stretch the cloth around two ends and back 

 side and tack in place with large head tacks. The idea of this canvas 

 back is to make pan lighter and when not in use the standards can be 

 pulled out and cloth rolled up and stored in dry for future use. The 

 pan is to be water-tight and with a clevis and singletree hooked to each 

 end runner with horses spread apart; it has a tendency to gather the 

 hoppers into the pan and the idea of a long pan is to get over the most 

 ground, quickly, with least travel. This improved pan is much less 

 expensive than the hopperdozer ordinarily recommended, is much 



