LEVEY LINES.--Some of our people are talking of leaving--indeed some have gone already; perhaps we are better without them. Our advise [sic] is to keep cool, be in no haste, consider the matter well.
It is true the grasshoppers have laid quite a number of eggs in patches. The damage done so far is not much, and they have mainly left us. We think corn is not damaged over 5 per cent., late potatoes 50, turnips and cabbage 100 or total loss, onions 20, beans 50, flax 40; rest of the crops all safe.
Now we suggest that every man try to save the prairie from being burnt this Fall, also straw pile, and burn the hoppers next Spring. Some means will surely be found to fight them. One man here is contriving a machine to catch them. Combined action will do a great deal, and I believe we will raise a good crop next year. Let us learn all we can from old settlers. Mr. Miller will freely give you space in his paper. A neighbor tells us there is a worm already eating the eggs... SCRIBE
GRASSHOPPER GROWLINGS.--
...Last Thursday a brisk north wind carried nearly all the hoppers away...
Farmers throughout the county, and others interested, should attend the meeting at the court house on Saturday, to take measures looking toward a systematic and combined effort against the insects.
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R. R.--Mr. Pierce, of Fort Dodge, who was here last week, says that the Webster City & Crooked Creek Railroad, narrow guage, can be extended this way by proper effort.
Mr. Alexander, of the Iowa Railroad Land Company, called to see us Friday. He is engaged in procuring the right of way for the road through the west part of Sac county.
The preliminary survey of the Maple Valley Railroad has been completed from Carroll to Ida, and the engineers are preparing their report. This will be completed in two weeks, when the final line will be run. The right of way is now being secured with little difficulty. It is expected that dirt will begin to fly with the next month or six weeks. This road is about as near a certain thing as any road can be which isn't running. We are going to Ida on the cars sometime next year--we haven't fixed the date yet.--Car. Herald.
NEW TWP.--Boyer Valley township has been divided, and the west half, 88, 38, will after this year be known as Cook township.
USEFUL RECIPES.--To keep ants out of cream pots and sugar barrels: Make a heavy mark around the outside of the vessel with common chalk, and they will not cross it.
To make pumpkin or squash pies: Cook your pumpkins or squash by steaming the whole (inside and seeds included) until soft, strain through a seive [sic] or colander to take out hulls and lumps, and you can make pies without eggs, and save half the labor. D. S. P.
BRIDGE NOTICE.--The contract for building a bridge across Boyer River, on the south line of section 21, 88, 87, in Sac county, Iowa will be let by open bids to the lowest and best bidder at the court house in Sac City, at 2 o'clock P.M. of Saturday, Sept. 16, 1876. Plans and specifications can be seen with the County Auditor.
By order of the Board of Supervisors. N. PRENTICE, Com.
GRASSHOPPER NOTES
Daniel G. Lane, who has lived in the West Indies, writes that to prevent
grasshoppers destroying vegetation, "burn one pound of charcoal in the
center of the field." To prevent potato bugs destroying the crop, plant two
grains of flax seed in each hill, as the bugs will not go near the flax.
EDITOR SUN:--In the Spring of 1869 this section of country was well seeded with grasshopper eggs. I was away from home at the time for sowing wheat, and came back to 20th of April. The boys were about through sowing. I had sent home an Esterly Seeder, and in arranging it to sow, not being acquainted with the machine, they fixed it to sow 2 1/2 bushels per acre. I remarked that we would not have much wheat, it would be too thick to head. My neighbors' fields were sown with from one to two bushels per acre. Their average yield was about 4 bushels per acre, while mine was about 15 bushels of good sound wheat, as some of my neighbors will recollect. I sold this wheat as No. 1 in the Chicago market, for $2 per bushel, while that which was hurt by the grasshoppers brought only $1.50.
I would now recommend to every farmer throughout the grasshopper region to sow wheat, and sow as near as he can three bushels to the acre, putting the ground in as good condition as possible; then the grain will be so thick the hoppers cannot live in it, as it will be well shaded. Every one who knows the habits of the young grasshoppers know they want the sun, and that they cannot live well in the shade. This is my experience, and it is my intention to sow 100 acres in wheat in 1877, with a firm belief that I will succeed in raising from 15 to 20 bushels per acre. EUGENE CRISS.
A mass meeting was held last night at Kiron to see what could be done for these grasshoppers. Mr. A. Norelius opened the meeting, and showing that the grasshoppers can be destroyed by every man working in unison; he showed in various ways how the grasshoppers and their eggs could be overcome and destroyed. The meeting then was temporarily organized by calling A. Norelius to the chair, and C. J. Johnson secretary. For a while the subject was discussed, and the meeting came to the conclusion to organize a grasshopper brigade, by electing A. Norelius as chairman and C. J. Johnson secretary. A committee of five was chosen to draft a constitution and call a meeting again on Monday, Sept. 11, at 6 P.M.
The following resolutions were adopted:
Resolved, That we have the proceedings of this meeting published in the
Denison Review, Crawford County Bulletin, THE SAC SUN, and Ida Pioneer.
Resolved, That we petition the county board of supervisors of Crawford,
Sac and Ida counties to enact a fine of $50 in addition to the fine now in the
existing law for setting out prairie fires before the 15th day of May, 1877, or
at the best suitable time to destroy the grasshoppers.
Resolved, That we petition the State Government to appropriate money to
pay bounty for destroying the grasshoppers.
Resolved, That we urge upon the citizens of the above named counties to
take steps to preserve the prairie grass, and not allow that prairie to be
burned over before Spring.
Steps will be taken by this grasshopper brigade to watch the prairies this Fall, and any person caught in the act of setting the prairie on fire, will be dealt with according to law.
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A meeting of farmers of Sac county was held at the court house Saturday afternoon, to discuss best means of destroying the grasshoppers. Robt. Quail was elected chairman, and A. E. Forsyth Secretary.
Geo. Dobson favored the appointment of vigilance committees in each township, to watch the prairies and prosecute those found setting out fires.
Rob't. Quail favored the preservation of prairie chickens, which destroyed the grasshoppers by the million.
Wm. Cory said the laws in relation to chickens and prairie fires were severe enough, and enforcement was all that was needed.
D. Carr Early favored preservation of chickens, and also advised to sow wheat very thick next Spring--three bushels to the acre.
Geo. Dobson, D. Carr Early and H. A. Pierce were appointed a committee to draft resolutions. The meeting adjourned to Saturday, Sept. 16, at 2 P.M. Let all attend.
The following resolutions were presented:
WHEREAS, The people of Sac county are troubled somewhat with the grasshoppers,
it becomes necessary to devise some plan to protect themselves from their
depredations, and in order to do this we must have a united effort; therefore
Resolved, That we form ourselves into a society for protection against
grasshoppers,
Resolved, That we pledge ourselves to inform on all persons detected in
starting prairie fires until such time as this society shall appoint.
Resolved, That to be successful in preventing fire we must post notices
on all our public roads, warning all persons to observe the law in regard to the
same, and that we will warn all emigrants that we can against starting fires.
Resolved, That to further protect ourselves against fire, we will put
fire breaks around each township, and also each farmer to protect his own farm.
R. R.--The Maple River Railroad officials were to meet at Carroll last Monday, and make some arrangements about commencing work on the road.
(transcribed by B. Ekse from microfilm, October, 2003)
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