GRASSHOPPER PEST.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 97, 17 January 1908, Page 7

GRASSHOPPER PEST.

DESTROYING VEGETATION. nr rEi.Eauii'it—i'it£ss association—corrmonT. Sydney, Jnmiary 16., ; .'Grasshoppers are destroying .everything groon in tho Singloton district. SOUTH AFRICAN METHODS.,; . REPORT OF, KILLING ASWARM. In-South Africa tho grasshopper or locust has .become so much of a permanent institution that it has been found advisable to bring into existence'a locust branch of the Stock Department,, .with a chief locust officer and assistant Chief L.0., and all the rest of it, whoso duty it is to work continuously in cooperation with landholders for the extermination of the pest. The result is tho destruction of numerous swarms | with ' arsenito of soda. South African papers describe a typical .locust-light by a farmer named Hopley, of Vbrmaaksfontein. ~ Tho swarm destroyed on his farm was (it is stated) a large one, measuring 500 yds. long and 200 yds. broad. The locusts wero in the "rooi-baatje" stage, and very thickly set. They hud already cleared tho crops off some large lands on tho adjacent farm. Only lib. of arsenito of was used to destroy this large swarm. The poison, mixed with -lib. of brown sugar, was dissolved in hot water in a soappat, and cold, water added to make tho quantity up to 12 gallons. Six ordinary-sized bundles of green , barley (weighing, say SWb.) were soaked in this, half at a time, for about 15 or 20 minutes. The barley was not cut up, but tho bundles were merely loosened so t.lint every straw could get well soaked. About one-third of tho 12 gallons of poisonous liquid ■iv.xs absorbed by the barley. , The swarm of locuatg was stopped close to ;:he wall of tho land by waving flags. The •barley was then thinly scattered in front of ;;liem and among them in the following way Singlo straws of barley were thrown in in ■thin lines across'the swarm, the straws in ;»ach lino being about 4ft. apart, and each 'lino of straws being about 10yds. from the looxt. •In front the straws were scattered '.rather more closely. In this way tho poison 'was distributed throughout the greater part; 'of tho swarm. The back part of the swarm was not. supplied, there not being enough barley to go all round. This, however, made no difference, as they closed up later on the front part of the swarm, and "got enough poison ultimately to destroy them. As soon as tho poison had been scattered among them tho swarm came to a . sudden halt. This effect was quite noticeable and surprising. Other farmers, who had worked on these lines, had noticed the samo thing and spoken of it. Mr. Ilojdey admits that he was sceptical about it until he saw this whole swarm come to a halt, and unexpectedly on his own farm as soon as the poisoned barley had been scattered among them. No more (lag-waving was required after this, as the swarm never mado any serious attempt from :hat moment to get into his land. The locusts seized eagerly on the ■ barley. Those who ite first wero quickly pushed "aside, by others i.'ager for tho feast of siveet things. In this 'nay every straw served to poison numerous relays of hungry locusts. The poison was icattored about 2 p.m. Before sunset numbers jf locusts'were looking seedy, but none were noticed to have died. Thore still remained about eight gallons of the poisonous liquid, in which the barley had been soaked. This was used up in tho following way:—ln the evening numbers of the locusts collectcd" together in places so thickly .that it was easy to kill them by "bashing with branches of "mclk-bosch." Theso branches wero then dipped in tho poison, nnd, tho dead locusts freely sprinkled with it. The B:une evening all tho fragments of poisoned barley that remained uneaten were carefully collectcd and buried.- Next morning about one-third of the locusts were dead ; and tho survivors /wore feeding on them. 'No moro poison was used. Prom that timo the destruction of tho swarm seemed to go on automatically. In four days the whole swarm was practically extinguished. No' more were left than the, fowls could deal with. It is worthy of note, too, that some fowls, which had ljccn feeding on the dead locusts for two days, deemed not a bit the worse for it. Tho labour involved in the destruction of this swarm wn» comparatively slight, only Mr. ifopley, his son, and two natives being engaged in the work for about two hours. According to the reports quoted, although it was four days before tho swarm was destroyed, from the time thai; the poison was thrown down they never onco mado a move to get into the land. No spray or other apparatus was used. The quautily of green sluff employed was comparatively insignificant; in this instanco, it was carried out from town at tho back of a cart. — ' " — 2

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