Facts about KansasA book for home-seekers and home-buildersStatistics from state and national reportsFarm lands, grazing lands, fruit lands ... . itic insects die off, thusremoving several influences restrictive of the undue increase of locusts. Man, with his numerous devices for the extermination of insect pests,has done much to prevent the increase of the locusts; but the greatergood is accomplished by the natural enemies of these insects, the birdsthat spend the greater part of their lives in the assiduous pursuit ofthese same insects, and devour them as eggs, young, or old. 93 KANSAS. It i
Facts about KansasA book for home-seekers and home-buildersStatistics from state and national reportsFarm lands, grazing lands, fruit lands ... . itic insects die off, thusremoving several influences restrictive of the undue increase of locusts. Man, with his numerous devices for the extermination of insect pests,has done much to prevent the increase of the locusts; but the greatergood is accomplished by the natural enemies of these insects, the birdsthat spend the greater part of their lives in the assiduous pursuit ofthese same insects, and devour them as eggs, young, or old. 93 KANSAS. It is of paramount importance that the native birds of the State receivethe protection to which they are entitled. When prairie chickens andgrouse were numerous no harm whatever was reported as being doneby native grasshoppers. Quail, plover, blackbirds, sparrows, hawks,and even ducks are known to feed largely upon these insects. A singlebird of any of these species will destroy thousands of insects during thespring, summer, and fall months. When the birds are destroyed, theseextra thousands of insects increase beyond the normal, and injury to. GRANT MONUMENT, FT. LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS. crops follows. Year after year the gap is wider and the possibilities ofharm increase. In the absence of the birds, and of any fungus disease that is eflicientin destroying the grasshoppers (the fungus disease attacking them isunlike the one that attacks chinch-bugs, being much slower in its action)*artificial remedies must be resorted to to protect the farmer. If careful observation is made to see where eggs are deposited in largenumbers, they can be destroyed by harrowing the ground and exposingthem to the action of the sun, and to the forays of hungry birds. Deepplowing during fall and early in the spring, will bury the locust eggs sodeeply that the young hopper cannot reach the surface. The best way of destroying the insects, however, is by the use of thekerosene pan, in common parlance the hopper
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