A PLAGUE OF GRESSHOPPERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2649, 21 December 1904, Page 41

A PLAGUE OF GRESSHOPPERS.

A telegram to the Melbourne Argus from Mildura, dated November 27, says: Two months ago it seemed as though this entire settlement was about to be invaded by enormous hordes of grasshoppers. When the danger was first threatened, and while the pest was little more t-han hatched, the shire council considered the matter, and appointed one of its membei's (Cr Grossmann) to devise and carry out means of overcoming the plague, and authorised him, under the Council's Finance Committee, to incur any expense that might be deemed wise. This action was commended and supported by large bodies of the ratepayers, and an energetic assault upon the foe was immediately undertaken. All sorts of agencies were used, but poison proved the most efficacious. At first reliance was upon the fungus issued by the Department of Agriculture, and in all 140 tubes were used. The results were, however, disappointing, and the .action altogether too slow to meet the case. Then spraying the large and solid groups of the insects with kerosene was tried, and this disposed of countless , thousands of the hoppers. In all 2000 gallons of crude residual oil and 1000 gallons of kerosene were used in this way. Then digging trenches to intercept moving masses resulted in trapping and destroying enormous numbers, and, finally, when the visitation reached i^s meet acute stage, arsenic was uspd. About a ton of this poison, mixed with bran and pollard in minute quantities, and distributed, with care in the infested localities, disposed of great masses of the enemy. To the quantities already mentioned there must be* added a quarter of a ton of Paris green, half a ton of washing soda, two tons of sugar in lieu of treacle, 10 tons of bran, and two tons of pollard to arrive at the quantity of poison that was fed to the pest. From these facts it may be gathered how real the danger was, and how actively it was met. At the first working bee 100 men assisted, and at subsequeit ones larger numbers turned out. The extent of damage done is trifling. About 240 acres of growing vines not in bearing have been stripped, and about 110 acres of vines in bearing, but in every case a recovery of the vines has begun, and it is tolerably certain that the loss of crop will be considerably lees than )0 tons of lexias, the cheapest of our raisins.

Mr G. H. Dixon has been nominated by tho Wellington Hugby Union for the position of manager of the New Zealand team which is to tour Great Britain. ' Of the 53 men selected to form the source of the team, 15 forwards and nine backs have intimated to the selectors that they can get away for the tour.