APPENDIX III. REPORT OF JOHN MARTEN. 
The means of destruction used in this vicinity was the coal-tar pans. Crops were 
saved to some extent by dragging ropes across the fields and by smoking them. 
August 5, 1879, I went from Yankton to Firesteel, Dak., on the stage. Tlie locusts 
Jiad visited Baldwin, Ramsey, and other places along the route, but had done only 
slight damage to all crops and less damage on the prairies than in the J aines River 
■bottom. 
At Firesteel, locusts were first noticed in 1874, July 13 or 14, and staid two days. 
July 25 they came from the northwest in large numbers, and August 1 another flight, 
small in numbers, came. These departed to the southwest. They did no damage, as 
there were only a few fields of sod corn in the valley. In 1875 locusts came in J uly, 
about the first week, and destroyed oats, wheat, and barley. In 1876 no 'hoppers to 
speak of. In 1877 locusts came July 5. The gardens were all destroyed. In 1878 no 
•damage was done to small grains. Corn only slightly. Eggs were deposited for the 
first time. 
In 1879 locusts have been flying toward the southeast, but none have stopped. 
Eggs hatched in the James River bottom at Fire Steel, and in the bottom six miles 
north of there. The hatching commenced in May, and the latter part of June the 
^hoppers began flying to the southeast. 
From Firesteel I went to Fort Thompson. I went in a buggy. Full-fledged locusts 
were seen nearly all along the route. 
August 8, near the Wessington Hills, locusts were seen flying to the southeast, and 
•on the 9th, at Fort Thompson, they were flying to the southwest ; both days they 
were very high. No damage was done at Fort Thompson this year; as to previous 
years I could learn nothing positive. 
August 13, 1879, I visited Yankton Agency and found a few locusts, but could 
gather no facts concerning them. Being referred to Rev. John P. Williamson, who 
was absent at the time, I wrote to him for information. His answer I give in full : 
" My first acquaintance with Yankton Agency was in 1868. Most of the time since 
I have had a little Indian paper here, and from that and some other memoranda I 
gather the following : 
"A. D. 1868. — Grasshoppers arrived August 1 in such clouds as to cast a shade, 
.and as they lit their wings made a roar like a flock of pigeons. They came from the 
northwest, went southeast. They mostly left in two or three days, but a few remained 
and deposited eggs along the roadside, and bare places, and in fields. No small grain 
sowed here then, but the corn and potatoes were entirely destroyed. Along the creeks 
many bushes were divested of leaves, especially ash. 
"A. D. 1869. — A few hatched out in early spring and ate off some fields of corn as 
it came up. 'Hoppers left for the north when their wings grew in June. 
"A. D. 1870. — No damage bv grasshoppers. 
" A. D. 1871.— Ditto. 
"A. D. 1872.— Ditto. 
''A. D. 1873. — Grasshoppers passed going northwest for several days, the last of 
June and first of July. 'A few lighted, but left without doing any damage to mention. 
They covered a field of wheat one night, but did not eat the wheat. 
" A. D. 1874. — Grasshoppers came from the northeast during the last of July and 
remained a week or more, not in such numbers as in 1868, but injured corn badly, 
•destroying probably half of the crop on the reservation. They came too late to injure 
small grain, though but little was sown at that time. No damage by grasshoppers 
since 1874. I can remember that some years a few have been seen passing over, and 
almost every year we have heard of them injuring crops in neighboring counties, but 
they did not reach us on this reservation. You will see from my notes that early in 
the seasou they moved north, and later south." 
August 13, 1879, at Ponca, Nebr., a few locusts yet remain. They began hatching 
April 15, and hatched until May 20. They began flying June 12 toward the north 
and northwest. From the editor of the North Nebraska Journal I learned that two- 
thirds of the wheat, oats, and barley were destroyed. Corn was not damaged much. 
Sorghum and pease not eaten. 
Coal-oil pans were used to kill young 'hoppers. Ropes were dragged across the 
.fields to scare the old ones away. Smoke was also used to drive them away. Do- 
mestic fowls destroyed a good many. 
For flights of locusts I give a list as furnished by Mr. James Rockwill : 
" May 16. — Light wind from south ; mercury at 58° morning, 78° noon. A heavy 
flight of 'hoppers go north nearly all day. 
"June 16. — 'Hoppers fly north by countless millions. Light winds from the south : 
mercury 78° at noon. Also the young 'hoppers are destroying the small grain, and 
■some fields of corn suffer badly. 
"July 5. — Myriads of 'hoppers fly north. Light wind from the south. 
"July 11. — A prolonged flight of hoppers ; go south. Light wind from northwest; 
■mercury at 70° in morning, 92° at noon. 
