THE PLAGUE OF LOCUSTS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3689, 17 December 1890, Page 2

THE PLAGUE OF LOCUSTS.

News from the .country districts of-, both Viotoria and Now' New ! South Wales give depressing accounts of tlio wUiph is 'bo' bail/' ■- this yearlbat tbd''insects' iare ; 'in--?"V vading the townships and : hotels,^ v^-.' FromKerang,: in -Viotoria, under datethe 3ijd]iqafc^th&t^qr£ ' ''YestjrJa'y grea't;. smw '; I. >: coinniericjd to arrive'in tbo to^ri/rom: ; :; tlis surroiinding.country, aiidl'to-day 'm-. foe garden .^'

covered *'Svitii Vast - mui■p'■;■ '-'■ ; portion of the vegetable, flo\yers, apd 1 I?:;|■ : grass ■ are already :; de«Mrodj; ;_ (lit' 7M Agroundjn-njany; .cases,;bping;.left ;;■> ■''■' perfectly, tare., insects- liaxp- •;; ■•.■ not, as yet, except in a few instances' ;'■■','.' commenced to" fly, -being-'an;the ■■■''; bopping stage. "They travel "aV ;V •'' the rate of several ;^luilda '*a ,day. f 'v';,, WlieVi" v -'(i"': toU :'6r V,. , obatruotlpu .etops^thbir ouwavd^pro- • , ■ gross they',,are;collected' in heaps .. •' , often Gin doep. The' verandahs .are. ;:•'.;' .so crowded with thorn that househol- ;_.•;:>■" ders have.tq..iocp?tlie. 4qor shutto • coming ; '\ti -■j:\ -During the. day.men,wore engaged. :";' with' brooms'dnlVh.qse,driving tliem /-I- from the doors of niost of the shops f ; 5 : aud public houses in lbe-.to.wn. ;The f!;- landlord of the Royal nHotel (Mri£:..;'; \ O'Donnoll), Imd'to keep -his house f: ;■- P: ;:. closed duniig' the whole of thd morriB": :1 ing and afternoon ( prevpnt,tho ":: ..locusts obtaining admission, jn the :;.'.V-- V '<■■"", loousts'' are fiim'e; fcoWc'ep, .and as' 1 ' largo numbers, have ''already died the ".' BlMjjrisvcfyjiad,'' ,■, ,- : lPPr|'s from Tattata, Wamboota,places in Now South AVaifa also give alarming accounts of ;■■'-,- the inroad a of ? the' I 'lbcaits', At Wnmboota, Crimp's Hotel. has prac--1 ; tioally been clofeetV for' ; hi the • effort to keep the luse'eUoufi They are about tho hotel and enclosures five iii f. depth,f ind tjie; inmates'are' employed by every meaus , tboy,. know killing! thorn in.'countless numbers, The bedrooms J parlours and dinjng rotims r aro foirly. alive ; with them'. • Fields:, are boingi>rapi(lly invaded on all sides. Mr Saiifls, of Yattalai'in a little ovef: a day M la splendid Held of Wheat'p'racticMly■destroye'd^.the flags, .and nbeards,j bejng completely eaten':; off.,/;Tlie and Moaino failway:4ine.'i.s, covered with anil.' the engines and working parts on theijourney. become onevinflss of insect life.' In a few weeks more the general opinion is that Victoria will ( bejnundate.d from the river clone..,