■Uhe RURAL NEW-YORKER 
893 
Controlling a Plague of Grasshoppers 
Pakt I. 
E xperience from Montana.— once in a 
while our Eastern farmers find themselves 
confronted by a scourge of grasshoppers. We know 
of a number of cases where in limited localities the 
crops have been practically wiped out by such a 
visitation. This troul)le is not generally acute in 
the East, hut in the West farmers are obliged to 
fight this pest as the ancients vainly tried to battle 
against the locust. Several of the Western experi¬ 
ment stations have issued bulletins on the grass¬ 
hoppers; one of the best has just been sent out in 
Circular 70 of the Experiment Station at Bozeman, 
Mont. It seems that the pioneers of that State 
were practically eaten up some years ago by these 
grasshoppers, and while the scourge has not been 
as bad in late years, there are times when great 
tracts of territory are laid waste. In order to fight 
any insect properly Ave must know its life history. 
There are a number of different kinds of grass¬ 
hoppers in the West, but the life history of all is 
much the same. The eggs are long and curved, 
tapering toward each end, and about one-fifth of 
an inch in length. They are laid in the soil in pods 
or clusters. There Avill be 15 to 20 eggs to the 
cluster, and they are cemented together Avith a 
frothy and sticky fluid. In laying her eggs the 
female grassshopper liores a hole in the ground, and 
then deposits the eggs in this hole. The eggs reach 
nearly to the top, and the remaining space is filled 
Avith the frothy substance. This seals the hole, and 
fine soil is dusted over it. The picture at Fig. 437 
shoAA's a pod of these eggs, the one at the left hav¬ 
ing the earth removed in order to sIioaa’ Iioaa' the 
eggs are laid. Winter is passed in this egg stage. 
The j’xning hatch in the Spring or early Summer, 
and rpiickly begin feeding. They are 
fully grown about 50 to GO days after 
liatching, Avhich event generally comes 
in the month of July. They then ap¬ 
pear as Avinged grasshoppers, and dur¬ 
ing the latter part of August and Sep¬ 
tember the eggs of the neAV generation 
are laid. 
FAVORABLE WEATHER CONDI¬ 
TIONS.—Dry Aveather is favorable to 
the grasshoppers, and the Avorst out¬ 
breaks occur in connection Avith a se¬ 
ries of dry yeaiAs. Spring Aveather also 
has an influence upon their number. 
In most parts of Montana May is Avarm 
and dry enough to hatch out a large 
portion of the eggs. Then Avhen this 
dry spell is folloAA ed by colder Aveather 
or by ra'in or snoAV, many of the iieAvly 
hatched grasshoppers are killed. Thus 
the Aveather conditions most likely 
to produce a grasshopper outbreak 
Avould be a late, Avarni and dry Fall, 
so that the grasshoppers could lay the 
full number of eggs. Then there should 
be a continuously cold Winter. Avith 
plenty of siioav. This Avould protect 
the eggs from freeze and tluiAv during the Winter. 
A late Spring Avould prevent the young “hoppers” 
from hatching too early, and Avarm. dry Aveather fol- 
loAving Avould give them their best oi>portunity for 
development. 
METHODS OF CONTROL.—Several plans for de¬ 
stroying the ’hoppers are suggested. Some farmers 
Avho have studied the insect thoroughly. Avatch 
closely to see Avhere the eggs are laid. The grass¬ 
hoppers commonly select a limited space Avhere the 
top layer of soil is smooth and firm, and Avhere there 
are feAv roots or stones; and by Avatching carefully 
a farmer may learn of these egg-laying places. Avhere 
a large proportion of the eggs Avill be dei)osited. 
■When this place is found it can be Avorked in late 
Octolier or November by a disk or spring-tooth har- 
roAV. It should be chojAped and stirred 
up in several directions to a depth of 
about thi'ee inche.s. This Avill break 
up and crush most of the egg masses, 
and the eggs Avill be destroyed during 
the Winter. Alfalfa fields containing 
’hopper eggs are fre<piently disked in 
the Si)ring. This turns up many of the 
eggs. Avhich are thus destroyed. This 
Avould be the most offectiA-e Avay of kill¬ 
ing out the ’hoppers, but it is not 
ahvays jAractical. 
POISONING THE HOPPERS.—The 
plan most generall.v used is that of 
poisoning the ’hoppers, and this has 
become a recognized industry in parts 
rolling, each side being first lifted and then loAvered, 
so that the contents roll together and are mixed. 
Then the canvas ir. laid flat, the dry mixture spread 
out, and half the liquid sprinkled OA'er it. Then 
there is more rolling, after Avhich the rest of the 
liquid is sprinkled on. 
(To be continued) 
Bunching a Field of Hay. Fig. JfSJf 
of the West. It has become more of a nece.ssity as 
a farm Avork than spraying to kill potato bugs or 
codling Avorms in the East. A poisoned mash is 
used for this purpose, made as folloAvs; 25 lbs. of 
Avheat bran. 1 lb. I’aris green or Avhite arsenic, 1 lb. 
of salt, 2 qts. of cheap molasses or syrup, and 
doz. of either lemons or oranges. The dry ingre¬ 
dients are first thoroughly mixed so as to have the 
poison evenly distrihuted. The molasses is diluted 
Avith tAvo quarts of Avater Avell stirred. Then grind 
the lemons or oranges as fine as possible and add 
them to the molasses and Avater. Then mix the 
liquid and dry ingredients together, Avith enough 
more Avater to make a dry, crumbly mash. The ob¬ 
ject is to have this in such form tliat it Avill break 
into small flakes Avhen throAvn out. Good judgment 
T 
More About Cover Crops 
I have been reading in The R. N.-Y. about cover 
croi)s. I have a piece of land Avhich is sour. 1 planned 
to put lime on it this Fall. I wish to plant strawberries 
there next Spring. What is the best thing for me to do 
in preparing the land for next Spring? Would it be 
advisable for me to have the land planted to a cover 
crop noAV, have the crop ploAved under in the Spring 
and then apply lime before planting, or Avhat would you 
advise? Is it necessary to use lime with cover crops, 
and, if so, in Avhat proportions? I have another piece of 
land Avhich is in garden truck. It is also acid. Hoav 
would you treat that piece? L. ii. K. 
Eastport, Me. 
HESE points Avere overlooked in the cover-crop 
articles. Do not use lime on the straAvberries. 
This crop prefei’s a slightly acid soil. If you make 
it too alkaline the plants Avill not do Avell. A small 
amount of lime used on the cover crop might pay by 
making that crop larger, but Ave Avould not advise 
using the lime next Spring Avhen planting the berrie.s. 
BuckAvheat and Alsike clover or Hairy vetch Avould 
be good to seed noAv for ploAving under next Spring. 
We should also add a light seeding of turnips. As 
for the lime requirements of cover crops, the small 
grains respond to lime—Avheat and buckAvheat most 
of all, and rye least. The clovers and Alfalfa require 
lime. SAveet clover seems in greatest need of lime 
and Alsike clover least. The latter Avill often grow 
on land Avhich is quite sour. Hairy vetch. Soy beans 
and coAV peas Avill do quite Avell Avithout lime, and 
Crim.son clover does not need lime as Red clover does. 
Turnips and rape respond to lime. We 
find it usually more profitable to use 
the lime Avhen the cover crop is plowed 
. under rather than Avhen it is seeded. 
The lime helps to correct the acid in 
the decaying crop. It is good practice, 
AA'henever jiossible, to use the phos- 
l)hate and potash ichen the cover crop 
is seeded. This gives a larger crop, 
and the fertilizer is not Avasted, but 
put into good form for the next crop. 
As for the land for garden crops, a 
comhination of rye, buckAvheat and 
cloA'er Avill pay. and Ave should use 
lime on this ground. 
Malcing a llaystaclc tcith Gasoline Engine Power. Fig. 435 
is required to make this mash just right. If too Avet 
it Avill lump, and if too dry it Avill not scatter Avell. 
It is said that the lemons are more effective than 
oranges, and the cheaper and stronger smelling the 
molasses, the better it is for ’hopper bait. The picture 
at Fig. 430 shoAvs Avhat is knoAvn as a communits^ 
mixing bee. The danger from the ’hoppers is so 
great that the Avhole community come together, men 
and Avomen, and mix the ingredients by the ton. The 
mixing may be done either in a tank, a box, or by 
Avhat is knoAvn as canvas method. For this puii) 0 .se 
a canvas Avagon cover, about lOxlG feet, is laid on 
the ground. Then 33 pounds of bran are spread over 
it. Avith the neces.sary quantities of arsenic and salt 
sifted over the bran. Tavo or three men take hold of 
each side of the cover and mix the ingi-edients by 
4. Community Mixing Bee Preparing Grasshopper Bait. Fig. 436 
Suggested Change of Rotation 
Can you give me a better rotation than 
rye on sod, oats, Avheat, clover, Timothy? 
I haven’t trierl this, but am anxious to 
get away from corn and beans—two un¬ 
profitable cultivated crops that interfere 
Avith fruit harvest. The problem, as I un¬ 
derstand it, is to maintain fertility and 
secure a profitable crop of oats for horse 
feed Avithout having this crop folloAV a 
cultivated one. We have GO acres of fruit 
and 10 level fields containing nine to IG 
acres each ; keep six to eight Avork hor.ses, 
one or tAVo colts, and two cows. We have 
no vise for nine to IG acres of corn, and do not want to 
grow other cultivated crops or buckwheat. Raise sor¬ 
ghum enough betAveen young trees for cows. Feed oats 
to horses—sell Avheat, rye and hay. StruAV to be re¬ 
turned to land. I can get limestone screenings for 25 
cents the three-ton load. One man and team can haul 
and spread three loads a da.v. Soils, Dunkirk clay loam, 
black soil running to muck, gravelly loam, black sandy 
loam. vS. F. 15. 
Niagara Co., N. Y. 
ONSIDERING the character of the soil and the 
experience that S. F. B. has had for the past 
nine year.s, I believe he is folloAving good farm prac¬ 
tice in this proposed change of rotation. I shouhl 
by all means Fall-plOAv this land and give it good 
preparation in the Spring, using the quantity of 
lime best suited to the soils and crop needs. This 
can be ascertained by UMiving check strip in tlu» first 
CTO]) Avithout the lime application and noting results. 
Good results are generally obtained by 
])loAving doAvn a sod as soon as possible 
after haying, and giving the land thor¬ 
ough tillage. Lime or fertilizer, or both, 
may be applied in soAving the Avheat or 
rye. as the case may lie. My exi>erience 
has been that hotter grass seeding Avill 
be obtained oA-er the land Avhich has 
groAvn the oats, folloAved liy wheat, than 
over the AA’heat folloAving the soil direct. 
The best crop of oats ever groAvn on my 
farm aauis on a field last season, Avhere 
a cloA’er sod Avas turned vinder. This 
Avas folloAved Avith Avheat, Avhich at this 
Avriting is the best Avheat that Ave have 
this year on the place. You see, on my 
