Smyrna times., 1857-08-19

lNsEcrs.-Why is II that tiny creatures swa
IN such mntitudes, and at times destroy /
" harVests of man! Always they prey upon
'aoors, and are serious hindrance to his wor
oy Whatever the defects Of soil and climate, tht
Nc oppose no such obstacle to fruit growing, or
the raising of grain, these insignificant d
- predators. What bounteous harvests of whe
he we might have, if the weevil, the midge, ar
the fly, could be consigned to their graves
st what crops of hay, if the worms would let th
- roofs OF The grasses alone If we plant III
J. plum on any but clayey soil, the curcuilo lie
IN wait TO puncture every fruit, and make it tn
cradle OF his offspring. five set out apple an
Is pear trees, bugs beset the trunks and soon cove
p them with scales as if they were monsters O
: the deep. The peach, the ounce, the cherry
{ the gooseberry, has each its enemy, as if Ma
ture had sent an executioner with the sentence
OF death upon the track of every living thing
why Is there this seeming inconsistency in the
arrangements of the creation; why do we have
these precious gifts bestowed, only to he snatch
ed from US by these depredators!
Their supplies have been cut off, so that in
stead of feeding upon the forests and shrubs
they are now forced to feed upon cultivated
crops. The forests once covered the whole
country nearly, and every one must see the eff
feet upon insect life of cutting off three. tourhs
OF their natural pasture grounds. At the same
time that there has been this reduction in the
supplies of the insect tribes, the birds, their
natural enemies, have been almost extermina-
ted. They were designed to check the enor-
nous multiplication Of insects and to be taken
under the protection of man-for the sake of
their aid in protecting him in the enjoyment of
the fruit of his labors. Instead of receiving
this protection, many of the birds have been
prescribed by law. and price set upon the
heads of crows and black-birds. as if they were
the enemies of man. Vagabohd boys have had
special commission TO destroy them with pow |
der and lead, as if they were doing the world |
a service. So great has the stock of birds bee:
reduced that cuItivators are beginning to be .
alarmed, and in some of the States they have
lready secured wiser legislation. But it will
take many years before the natural balance be-
tween birds and insects can be restored.
The swallows and martins that find cenre-
NAL society in man, should be encouraged to
take up their abode around our barns md dwell
lngs They devour swarming insects. wasps,
beetles and gOdsmiths. 1t is estimated that n
single bird will devour FIVE thousdn nds moths in
week. The sparrows and wrens prey upon
insects IN another stage of their existence.
"hen they hrst come out of their eggs, and {
urk within the buds, leaves, and flowers of {
plants. The thrushes. crows, blue birds, laws. I
md backblrds, devour butterflies. grasshoppers a
'rickets, Iocusts, and the larger beetles. Tn f
eason of three months. a single family of iavs i
will destroy at least twenty thousand Insects i
This gives us some idea of the elfectual check |
which birds put uPOn The ravages of insects 6
Vow in " fly time" while the whole air is redo a
cut OF their murmurngs, we would stir up the
ure minds of our readers to think of their de. K
redatlons, AID TO devise methods ta destroy
hem. n
KEEPING APPLEs.-A correspondent says:
was lately assured by a friend, in whom q
ave the fullest confidence, and | therefore. q
cry readily, endorse his statements, that he q
ut up a lot Of sound apples last Fall, in barrels,
art OF which were lime JarreIs, and the resi-
our barrels. Apples, position, packing, store
pom. and everything else, as far as he can tell.
ne same. On opening them in the Spring, :,
lany of those packed in -four barrels were de- " -
aged, while those in lime barrels were nearly - -
S perfect as when put away. Being an intel
gent and observing man, | record his state :,
ent for the benefit Of your readers =
STRAwBERRTEs.-August and September are F.
litable months for setting out new beds, and if O
'e plants are properly cared for, they will pro- W
lce some fine fruit next summer; success will N
ePend almost wholly on the proper manage
ent of the plants. Let the ground be well at
lriched with thoroughly decompoScd stable tn
anure; if trenched eighteen inches or two
et deep so much the better. We prefer plant.
g drills, two feet apart. At this season, the da
ants may be set much closer in the row than w
the spring, as they will not become very yc
rye before winter. Put them about nine inches RI
part; then, after they have fruited next sum- Is
er, one-half of the plants may be removed be
Ie keep our beds clean by passing a rake be-. bo
veen the rows at short intervals of time. he
The GENERAL AIMS OF GARDENING in Au re
lst, are to prevent weeds from going to seed, NJ
remove and secure crops that are ripe, to an
eep up succession of vegetables and fruits
r fall and winter use, to water coPiousy what 70
yer the usual drouth makes it needful TO water, -
save all ripe seeds for sowing or planting to a..
'mplete the preparation of cumposts, and to H.
ench, if the ground is not too dry. new squares -
r the enlargement Of the next years work. n
hese, with the most careful attention to crops -.
ill growing, will make August by no means v,
4 idle month, even in the garden. N