U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for July 20

WASHINGTON, July 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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TUESDAY, JULY 20: LOCUST PLAGUE

Profile America -- Tuesday, July 20th.  Beginning on this date in 1874, the largest swarm of Rocky Mountain locusts ever recorded blackened the skies from the Dakotas to Texas, and stripped farm fields in minutes.  The swarm is estimated to have been 1,800 miles long and 110 miles wide.  The locusts not only ate crops, but devoured leather saddles, and even brought trains to a halt. While not as large, similar swarms continued for several years.  Then, in one of nature's greatest mysteries, they simply disappeared, never to return.  Today's farmers don't have to contend with such massive attacks, but still have a large variety of pests to contend with.  To ward off such damage, U.S. farmers use $10 billion worth of pesticides each year.  You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.

Sources:  Chase's Calendar of Events 2010, p. 380

Statistical Abstract of the United States 2010, t. 813

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button).  

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau