“Ghe RURAL N E W-Y O R K E R 
915 
Controlling a Plague of Grasshoppers 
Part II. 
P RECAUTIONS REQUIRED.—Of course, this 
poisoned mash is dangerous to all domestic 
animals, and every precaution must be taken to pre¬ 
vent poisoning. Hogs, horses and poultry have been 
killed by eating the mash, but when great care is 
taken there is not much danger. The poisoned bran 
mash is sacked as soon as possible 
after mixing and marked as “poison.” 
It is said that horses in particular will 
hunt out this poisoned bait and eat it if 
they can get at the sacks. 
now POISON IS SPREAD.—In 
spreading the bait it is planned to use 
from five to 15 pounds to the acre, de- 
liending on the number of grasshoppers 
present. A device has been invented 
for whirling out the mash by hand, 
but in most cases it is thrown out from 
the rear end of a wagon, or from an 
automol)ile. In a regular community 
drive 50 or more wagons will often be 
used. These are lined up .side by side, 
but far enough apart to enable the 
sowers to scatter the poisoned bait 
evenly from the ground. A regular 
business is made of this. All hands come together 
and mix the bait, and the drive is organized so that 
the entire surface of the land is covered. In many 
cases this work is extended to vacant lands, when 
such lands are infested by the 'hoppers. 
TR.VIT’INC (JRASSIIOPPERS.—In many cases 
machines or traps are used to catch the live ’hopper.s. 
It is not difficult to make a machine which is known 
in most i)arts of tlio West as a “ho])per- 
dozer.” The picture at Fig. 45.“ shows 
how the machine is made, and this bul¬ 
letin gives the details of con.struction. 
It is usually 24 feet long, works on run¬ 
ners. and is hauled by two horses, one 
attached to each end. This is hauled 
over the ground where the liopjters have 
congregated hack and forth. The 'hop¬ 
pers are .scared up by the rope which 
dangles in front of the machine, and 
fly into it where they are caught. When 
several I)ushels of the ’hoppers have been 
collected, the machine is stopped and the 
insects are shoveled into sacks. They 
are left in these sacks for a couple of 
days to kill them, and as .soon as all are 
dead they are spread out in the sun to 
dry, so that they may be used for poultry 
feeding. 
(JDOD POIU/ITIY FEED.—These dead 
grasshoppers are of great value as 
poultry food. This bulletin states that 
they contain, when dried, 75 per cent of 
nrotein in the most valuable form of 
feeding. Whenever they are used in the 
West the dried ’hoppers have given excellent results 
in egg production. The food value seems to be 
higher than that of meat scrap, and they have all 
the stimulating efCects observed when chickens have 
an abundant supply of insects. This bulletin states 
that one man, starting at 0 o’clock in the morning, 
collected SCO pounds of grasshoppers in two hours 
and 15 minute.s. As the result of .several daj’s’ work, 
this meant GOO pounds of thoroughly 
dri('d “hoppers,” which were worth 
at least six cents a pound as a sub¬ 
stitute for meat scrap. This farmer 
refused twice that amount for his 
dried ’hoppers. It is estimated that 
by running machines several hours in 
the early morning and in the evening, 
a farmer during a ’hopper plagvie, 
could capture as high ns half a ton 
of grasshoppers per day. This would 
dry down to about 500 pounds of the 
finest poultry food, worth from !F25 
to $.'50 as compared with meat scrap. 
This bulletin is very interestin.g, and 
deals with a sub.iect entirely new to 
many of our Eastern people. It is not 
likely that our farmers are in great 
danger from a gras.shoi)i)er scourge. 
In the West, however, the ’hopper is 
ever Avith them, and it Avonld appear that what 
seems at first thought a curse to a grain.farmer may 
be tiumed into a blessing where poultry is kept. 
years ago we had a dozen hens. Wo used all the 
manure. Do you think this was too much for garden 
of 35 square feet? Everything grows very avoII, but is 
always covered with aphides. Somebody told me to 
sprinkle loose lime over the top of the ground. There 
are some small, black flies that live under my tomato 
plant leaves which cause them to curl up. What can 
I spray my nasturtiums with? They are getting cov¬ 
ered with small black bugs which suck on the stems of 
the leaves. How can I doctor my peach tree, which 
has small white worms which live under the bark? 
for you to confine your plantings to those crops 
which suffer the least from lice attacks. Tlie little 
black bu.gs on your nasturtiums are prol)ably the 
black ])lant lice and i’e(iuire the same treatment. 
The small white worms under the bark of .vour 
peach trees are most likely the ])each borers, the 
most destructive enem.y of the peach industry. Tliey 
are usuall.v located at the surface of the .ground, 
and their presence can be easily detected b.v the 
gummy substance which they develop. 
They should be diig out two oi- three 
times a seiisoii with a knife or stout 
wire hook, cutting the bark as little as 
possible. Painting of the small wounds 
is not so necessary as .getting the 
borers. r. w. d. b. 
A Iloppcr-dozcr at Work. Fig. Jf53 
They loosen the bark as they eat along. If I cut off 
the loose bark and clean otlt the wound and paint with 
roof paint do you think it wouid heal? E. s. M. 
East Orange, N. .1. 
I T is very evident that your soil is excessively rich 
from the heavy applications of poultry manure 
it has received. The moldy and sour appearance 
ma.v be due to dampness due to the heaA’.v folia.ge 
growth or to a naturally shady and damp location. 
N, Y. Farmers^ Institutes 
The discussion over the.se meetings does 
not. thus far, indicate any great interest 
in them. It is evident th.at a compara¬ 
tively few farmers in most country neigh¬ 
borhoods enjoy the institute.s. but there 
is little thus far to show that the rank 
and file of farmers care enough about 
them to express an opinion. The follow¬ 
ing letter fi*om Prof. Burritt tells how 
the institutes arc to be managed in the 
future: 
Poisoned Mash Sacked Rcadif for Use. Fig. J/rU/ 
These conditions are very favorable for the develop¬ 
ment of lice and ants, which are co-Avorkers of the 
lice. The unfavoi-able conditions for plant growth 
may be remedied by not giviiyg further applications 
of poultry manure. Three pounds of lime should be 
plenty to counteract any sourne.ss, and two pounds 
of acid phosphate would help to balance the lai’ge 
amount of nitrogen which you evidently have in 
Plan of Drag San:. 
See page 
Plant Lice and Other Garden Enemies 
The soil in my back yard seems moldy and sour look¬ 
ing. Everything that grows is always smothered Avith 
lice; they seem to grow out of the ground. A few 
your .‘5.5 scpiai'c feet of .soil. Freipient stirring of the 
ground is very discouraging to the work of the ants, 
and tile lice ma.v be destro.ved in a small garden b.v 
dusting them with a mixture of tobacco dust and 
air-slaked lime or el.se by spraying them Avith a 
strong tobacco solution. The materials must .strike 
the bodies of the insects to be effective. Further¬ 
more, on such a small iilace it would la* very ea.s.v 
HAVE read II. IT. Lyon's article on 
farmers’ institutes and your 
editorial comments on the same. I am A'er.v glad 
indeed that .aou are taking u)) this question for di.s- 
cussion. No one desires more than those in charge 
of extension work at the College of Agriculture to 
haA'e all the extension Avork, Avhich now imdudes 
the farmers’ institutes, of the greatest po.ssilde 
service to the State, and Ave all recognize the A’alue 
of a frank discussion of the question in The R. 
N. Y. FolloAving the jiassing of re.solu- 
tions b.v the State (Irange. the chairman 
of the finance committee of the last 
Legislature asked Dean Mann if the 
Avork done Ii.v the farmer.s’ institutes 
Avas not being coA'ered by the College of 
Agriculture, and if tliey could not be dis¬ 
pensed Avith altogether. Dean Mann re¬ 
plied that it AA'as not being full.v covered, 
and that the faianens’ in.stitutes Avere 
rendering a service to the farmers of the 
State. The committees then as*ked if the 
college could not do tliis AA’ork. Dean 
Mann replied that it could if des-ired, 
provided financial provision Avas made 
for it. The outcome of this conference 
Avas that estimates Avere submitted to 
the committees and an amount of money 
someAvhat It'ss than the msual appropria¬ 
tions for farmers’ institutes Avas allotted 
the College of .Vgriculture for carrying 
on this Avork. ’Plie use of some of the 
machinery already existing at the college 
makes as large an appropriation un¬ 
necessary. Certain funds Avere also left 
the Department of Farms and Mar¬ 
kets Avhich, it is understood, are to be used for hold¬ 
ing meetings to giA’e publicity to agricultural Liaa's 
both in the country and in the cities and toAvn.s. 
It is not the desire or the intention of the College 
of Agriculture conqiletely to revolutionize the 
farmer.s’ institutes. Oni.v such changes in the insti¬ 
tutes Avill be made as the opinions of farmers 
throughout the State indicate Avill increase their 
A'alue. In order that aa’c may have 
the benefit of the experience of the 
old farmers’ institute organization 
and that Ave may keep in touch Avith 
the old institute force and local cor- 
respondent.s, arr.angements have been 
made Avith D. P. Witter of Berk.shire 
to giA-e such time to the organization 
of this Avork as ma.v be necessar.A'. 
We considered it important i»oth for 
the college and the farmers of the 
State that Ave should IniAe the active 
assistance of a man avIio has been 
closely connected Avtih the farmers’ 
institute AA'ork in this St.ate for more 
than 20 years. Fui-theianore, a con¬ 
ference of the institute conductors of 
last year Avas held in Ma.v to di.scuss 
the entire plan of organization and 
conduct of the Avork and to invite 
their continued service. In order to learn the needs 
and Avi.shes of farmers and to make plans for the 
organization and distribution of re.gular extension 
and farmers’ institute meetings throughout the 
State, the Extension Service of the (’ollege has 
called district conferences of the county agricultural 
agcuits, laid the above information before these 
agents, and discussed Avith them t^ie nature and 
