190 
ORTHOPTERA. 
the sheets doubled over ; the grasshoppers were then swept 
from each end towards the centre of the sheet, where was 
left an opening to the mouth of a bag which held about half 
a bushel; when deposited and tied up, the drag was again 
opened and ready to proceed. When this bag was filled so 
as to become burdensome (their weight is about the same as 
that of the same measure of corn), the bag was opened into a 
larger one, and the grasshoppers received into a new deposit. 
The drag can be used only in the evening, when the grass¬ 
hoppers are perched on the top of the grain. His manner of 
destroying them was by dipping the large bags into a kettle 
of boiling water. When boiled, they had a reddish appear¬ 
ance, and made a fine feast for the farmer’s hogs.” 
When these insects are very prevalent on our salt-marshes, 
it will be advisable to mow the grass early, so as to secure 
a crop before it has suffered much loss. The time for doing 
this will be determined by data furnished in the foregoing 
pages, where it will be seen that the most destructive species 
come to ‘maturity during the latter part of July. If, then, 
the marshes are mowed about the first of July, the locusts, 
being at that time small and not provided with wings, will 
be unable to migrate, and will consequently perish on the 
ground for the want of food, while a tolerable crop of hay 
will be secured, and the marshes will suffer less from the 
insects during the following summer. This, like all other 
preventive measures, must be generally adopted, in order 
to prove effectual; for it will avail a farmer but little to 
take preventive measures on his own land, if his neighbors, 
who are equally exposed and interested, neglect to do the 
same. 
Among the natural means which seem to be appointed 
to keep these insects in check, violent winds and storms 
may be mentioned, which sometimes sweep them off in 
great swarms, and cast them into the sea. Vast numbers 
are drowned by the high tides that frequently inundate our 
marshes. They are subject to be attacked by certain thread- 
