[58] REPORT UNITED STATES ENTOMOLOGICAL COMMISSION. 
ads of them traveling northward about May 2; Fall 8 County, millions passing over, 
flying northward, about May 2 ; Gonzales County, nearly disappeared by May 2 ; Hays 
County, disappearing about May 2; Live Oak County, nearly all gone by Hay 2; 
Washington County, emigrating northward rapidly on May 8; Brazos County, almost 
entirely disappeared by May 5; Colorado County, flying northward about May 5; 
Lampasas County, millions flying northward during week ending May 10; Navarro 
County, departing about May 12 ; Navarro County, disappearing rapidly on May 1G ; 
Limestone County, left about May 15; going northward, wind south. 
3. No eggs were deposited during the present year. 
4. Hatching began about January 25, and ended about March 10. The eggs were 
hatching most numerously between February 15 and March 1. 
5. In the visitation of 1858 hatching occurred between January 16 and February 
27 ; the period of maximum hatching is not known. 
6. No information was received that the eggs failed to hatch during the present 
year. 
7. Open places, such as fields or prairies, free from bush and with but little grass, 
were generally selected by the insects to deposit their eggs. They seem to have been 
deposited in all sorts of light, loose soil. 
8. Hatching began earliest in warm, sandy soil, in sheltered localities, but pro- 
gressed without interruption wherever the eggs had been deposited. 
9. First insect acquired full wings in Gonzales County about April 5 ; in De Witt 
County about April 8; in Colorado County about April 12; rapidly in Gonzales 
County about April 20. 
10. The winged insects began to migrate from Gonzales County about April 20 ; 
from Washington County on April 26 ; from Colorado County about April 20 ; Fayette 
County on April 15 ; Johnson County about April 25 ; De Witt County about April 
25 ; Robertson County about April 25 ; Waller County on April 30 ; Bastrop Couuty 
about April 26 ; Hays County about April 26. 
11. While the ravages were progressing the damages were reported as severe from 
nearly all of the central counties of the State, but their effect has since proved to be 
less permanent than was at first apprehended, many of the devastated grain-fields 
having entirely recovered since the departure of the insects ; some, however, had to 
be replanted in Lavaca County. The damage was estimated after the departure of the 
insects as 5 per cent, of the crops ; in Colorado County at less than 3 per cent. ; in 
Bastrop County the damage was finally reported as not material, except to gardens ; 
in Lee County it is reported that little damage was doue ; in Denton County damage 
reported as not general ; in Leon Couuty damage reported as not enough to materially 
afl'ect the crop ; in Navarro County damage estimated at less than 5 per cent, of crops ; 
in Kendall County damage reported as not material ; in Llano County the insects 
reported to have done but little harm ; in Wilson County have interfered but little 
with corn and cotton ; in Lampasas County injury to wheat not so great as was ex- 
pected ; in Burnett County reported to have done but little damage ; in Williamson 
Couuty reported to have done no damage of serious consequence. 
From the preceding, which I take as fair examples of the remaining devastated 
counties, I conclude that the damage to the grain crops in the 64 counties visited can- 
not exceed 5 per cent. Gardens every where appear to have suffered to a much greater 
extent than the grain crops. They are reported as having been entirely destroyed in 
a large number of cases, and were badly damaged wherever visited. Assuming that 
a large percentage recovered from the ravages of the insect, as in the case of the grain, 
I will estimate 25 per cent, as totally lost. Taking the population of the 64 devastated 
counties for the year 1870 as a basis, aud dividing it by 5, to get the approximate 
number of families, and we have for the latter 84,304. Assuming that one-half of 
these families possess gardens worth .$75 each, and that an average of 25 per cent, of 
all were destroyed, and we have §790,350 as the approximate damage to gardens. 
12. Wheat, oats, corn, and cotton were the crops most affected, the first-named 
sustaining the greatest and the last-named the least injury. 
13. Fruit crops were more easily protected from the unfledged insects than cereala, 
and suffered less. Of the latter no comparisons can be given. 
14. Crops which suffered least were fruit, corn, and cotton. 
15. In almost every instance the young insects commenced hopping northward as 
soon as hatched. Their progress was necessarily very slow until after they had ac- 
quired wings, when they rose in immense swarms high into the air, and taking advan- 
tage of a warm south wind rapidly disappeared, always pursuing a northerly course. 
When meeting contrary currents of air from the north they were obliged to alight and 
wait for favorable winds. 
16. Mr. Sears, residing on the Bosque River, McLennan County, poisoned myriads of 
the insects with corn-meal and strychnine. Many citizens of Brazos County saved 
their peach crops by applying tar to the body of the trees, thus preventing the insects 
from ascending. Liberal use was also made of tire, boards, carbolic soap, tar, kero- 
sene, and turpentine, it is said with good success. 
