EEPOET ON THE LOCUST INVASION OF CALIFOENIA IN 
1891. 
By D. W. Coquillett, Special Agent. 
LETTER OF SUBMITTAL. 
Los Angeles, Cal., October 15, 1891. 
I submit herewith a report of my investigations of the locust invasions of Cali- 
fornia during the past season. These investigations were made principally during 
the month of August, and conducted in accordance with your instructions of July 
27, 1891. 
Respectfully yours, 
D. W. Coquillett. 
Prof. C. V. Riley, 
U. S. Entomologist. 
According to directions I proceeded, on July 30, to that portion of 
the Stato, invaded by the locusts, or grasshoppers, stated in the tele- 
gram to extend from Merced on the south to Eedding on the north. 
South of Merced County I did not learn that any great amount of 
damage had been done by the locusts the present season. In portions 
of Kern County I was informed that the locusts had attacked Apple 
and other kinds of deciduous fruit trees, but a timely use of the bran 
and arsenic mixture described in my report to you for the year 1885 
(Eeport U. S. Department of Agriculture, 1885, p. 300) effectually 
destroyed them. 
Arriving at Merced I interviewed Mr. J. A. Norvell, the editor of the 
Merced Express, and learned from him that but little damage had been 
done in that locality by locusts the present season. He informed me of 
a new colony that had been recently started near the foothills, where it 
was reported the locusts had done considerable damage to the young 
fruit trees. Accordingly I paid a visit to this colony, and found that 
about 100 acres of deciduous fruit trees had been either partially or 
completely defoliated by the locusts ; all of these trees had been set 
out less than a year ago. The land on which these trees were growing 
had been previously sown to wheat, and wheat fields were on every 
side. Prune and pear trees had suffered the most from the ravages of 
the locusts ; peach and fig trees were but little injured, while Eucalyptus 
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