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Show ( 1985 13, June Grasshoppers Winning War Against Farmers by Mark Watson The grasshoppers are winning. Such seems to be the case in the Tooele County vs. grasshopper war now in progress. Families and farmers are mounting spray guns while federal, state and county officials fly over the terrain dumping 800 gallons of poison daily on the jumping creatures. The hoppers battle back. Even hoppers who survived the winter join with hoppers in a crusade to terrorize the old-tim- e fresh-hatche- d land. "Its frustrating, said County Agent Wade Bitner who arrives at the Tooele Valley Airport at 5 a.m. each morning to help load airplanes with insecticide. "You would be appalled at what the grasshoppers are doing to the vegetation, sa id the county agent. Mr. Bitner said that some areas which are usually attractive areas to camping have totally deteriorated. "The trees and plants are completely defoliated, he said. 'Tts as if a range fire has swept through the land and completely destroyed the vegetation. One group of people in west Grantsville who battled fire on one occasion now battle grasshoppers. The grasshoppers destroyed my garden and raspberry bushes, are killing the lawn, have eaten leaves off the trees and are now destroy ing my rose bushes, quipped one Grantsville resident who is staging her own battle against the hoppers. Constructing nets around trees and shrubs is her latest ploy to thwart the hoppers but most of the trees are already stripped of foliage. Two years earlier fire ravaged the landscape now grasshoppers do the damage. This is not an isolated incident. Several other homes in west Grantsville are infested as hoppers invade from the rangeland. "We cant get any assistance, complained another resident. "Weve called the county and city but they wont help. One commissioner said, You chose to live out here. According to county officials the problem in this area is that the residents did not all agree to have the land sprayed and it is not feasible to spray an isolated area. "It is not biologically sound to spray an isolated area because that area would soon be infested again, said Mr. Bitner. The county will spray private land but they must spray 10,000 acres or more to be effective. All the land owners within a 10,000 acre parcel must agree to spray. If one owner says "no that means "no for his neighbor as well. One group that said "yes to the county is the ranchers of Skull Valley. "It got great cooperation from the farmers in the valley. They all agreed to spray and the money we gathered is in escrow in a Dugway bank waiting to be collected by the county, said Dennis Andrus who owns a farm seven miles north of Dugway. Mr. Andrus contacted the farmers throughout Skull Valley and helped coordinate their efforts. The Skull Valley group paid per acre for spraying. "We see the planes fly over Cedar Mountain and they did spray along the highway, he said. The Skull Valley rancher is awestruck with the plight of grass$1.34 hoppers. "Last year was bad but this is the worst I have ever seen. They say that the grasshoppers total per square yard. I say 400 per square yard. On one stem I counted 150-20- 0 30-3- 5 grasshoppers. Mr. Andrews has farmed the land for 21 years. An average first crop of alfalfa on his farm yields 1300 bales. This years first crop: 470. The hoppers do not live on alfalfa alone they swarm his yard landing inside and outside the house. "You would really have to see it to believe it, he said. The grasshoppers cling to the house forming a black One Grantsville resident has resorted to placing nets on her shrubs in an effort to protect them from pesky grasshoppers. wall "We have grasshoppers all over the county in St. John, Erda, Lake Point. The BLM just planted seedlings and they have a large investment to protect, said Mr. Bitner. Mr. Bitner said he would like to help more people but several legal ramifications make things difficult. "It is frustrating because of the bureaucracy. Because of the vast amount of land that needs spraying the county needed a national We have to use Category B con-trac- type aircraft and cannot fly within one mile of a populated area. Mr. Bitner searched for other alternatives to help the local citizen. He tried to purchase insecticide from the state to sell to residents. He was told he could buy the poison but would be fined $10,000 if caught peddling because Card Of Thanks The family of Richard Hamilton Orr wish to express their thanks The family of Joseph Wilson would like to express their thanks and appreciation to the Tooele and gratitude to his many good friends, neighbors and relatives for your offering of kindness, con- sideration and sympathy. We would also like to thank the Tooele and Salt Lake City Sheriffs Departments for their fine escorts. GOiJifiG 9tf 3D con- tainers are not properly labeled. There is no city involvement. According to Mr. Bitner Sandy t. Card Of Thanks Loving brothers, sister and phews Mr. Charles Wilson Mr. and Mrs. Bob Wilson Theda Palmer Thelma Potter Elsie Gregarich Pete Wilson Mile Wilson the ne- ' Valley Nursing Home and its staff, the Rush Valley Ward Bishopric and all those who took part in the funeral of Mr. Orr. The Rush Valley Relief Society for the delicious luncheon after the funeral. For the fine care of Dr. Wallace Johnson, for the many friends and neighbors who furnished food, flowers and words of sympathy. Clifford and LaRue Carson Lester and Nola Orr Charles R. and Joyce Orr enough time to wade through the City on one occasion condemned bureaucracy and have begun an attack on the hoppers earlier. Most Tooele County residents are pleased with what the county is their own city because of grasshopper infestation and began spraying. They were slapped with 60 lawsuits from private individuals. They lost all 60. doing and empathize with Mr. Bitner and the challenge of battling miles and miles of grasshoppers. "Youve got to give him an E for effort," quipped one Skull Valley rancher. The county agent said that in retrospect if his agency could have started one month earlier and if local groups could have been more organized they might have had Youth Dance Slated A youth dance sponsored by the Tooele 10th Ward Young Women is planned for Saturday at 8:30 in the North Tooele Stake House. Best dress is requested. tion is requested. $1 dona- your personal needs in mind. Stone setting and cementing service also available. Call: CLOYD The trouble with a lot of popular music is nobody likes it. - It Takes All Kinds by Franklin P. Jones , & BONNIE 350 S. Main You can at Zions First National Bank! 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