14 REPORT UNITED STATES ENTOMOLOGICAL COMMISSION. 
Mr. William F. Wheeler writes : 
I have traveled all over Montana this year, and it gives me great pleasure to state 
that I have seen or heard of no migratory locusts or grasshoppers this year. Our crops 
have not been injured by them in the slightest degree. Some doubt about our having 
them next year, because there are no visible deposits of eggs. 
Mr. W. 0. Gillitte writes from Dearborn, Lewis and < llarke Counties: 
I have been during the summer in that section of Montana lying between Helena 
.and Sun River, and I have neither seen nor heard of any locust flying over or alight- 
ing in this region ; in fact tin- native grasshoppers were very scarce compared with 
previous seasons. I have not heard of any damage caused by the locust in other 
parts of the Territory. My opinion is that we shall have several years of freedom from 
this plague. I have been in the Territory se\ cntecn year-, and judge by the past. 
Mr. James Fergus writes from near Helena : 
"We have been entirely free from grasshoppers in this portion of Montana the past 
season — the lirst entire exemption in many years. As no eggs were laid, we shall 
expect no young to hatch and destroy our crops next spring. 
J. S. Wooluian, Territorial auditor, writes from Helena: 
As this is the only year since 1*7'2 that Montana has been exempt from injury from 
locust, it appears highly probable there will be another immigration here in 18^0. 
Mr. J. D. McCaman writes from Bozemau: 
There were not many hatched in this county this season; some hatched on my 
farm and vicinity ; they did not do any perceptible damage. The course the young 
hoppers travel is southwest ; after they obtain their wings they rise and fly away from 
the location where they were hatched. The course is generally southwest. I was 
east during the summer ; the men on my farm saw some swarms in the air. I pre- 
sume they were the ones hatched and reared in the vicinity. We cannot reasonably 
expect any hoppers next season, as there were no eggs deposited in this vicinity and 
I have not learned of any being deposited in the Territory. 
f CHAPTER II. 
THE RELATION OF THE LOCUST AXD ITS RAVAGES TO 
AGRICULTURE AND THE SETTLEMENT OF THE TERRI- 
TORIES. 
The whole of our first report and all of that part of the present which 
relates to the locusts might very properly be included under the above 
title ; but our object in devoting a chapter to the subject named is to 
call attention more particularly to the effect of locust visitations on the 
agricultural condition and. prospects of the newly-settled portions of the 
West, and also to what is likely to be their effect on the settlement of 
the Territories. 
This topic if properly discussed will have to be considered in two 
divisions, one relating to the sections within the permanent and sub- 
permanent areas, and the other relating to those lying in the temporary 
legion. 
