Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-06-03

uuos OF the white grubs, the larva OF the
May beetle. their instincts enabling them to
seek the grubs with certainty when embed
ded some inches below the surface Of the
soil. The recent high price Of skunk skins
readily selling for from fifty cents to dol
lar has caused, in some parts Of the country,
the trapping and shooting of an immense
number of these striped backed essence ped
dlcrs. II would be far better for the COM
munity to protect both crows and skunks by
legislative enaotments and penal laws, than
to suffer such havoc among them, as there
has been of late, by powder, traps, dogs and
/ strychnine.
To exhibit the great benefit the farmer de-
rivcs from some Of the insect destroyers we
quote from "Anderson's Recreation" 1t is
stated that ga cautious observer having found
nest Of five young jays, remarked that each
Of these birds, while yet very young, con-
sumcd at least fifteen of these full sized grubs
in one day, and Of course would require
many more Of smaller size. Say that, on an
average Of Sizes they consumed twenty each
these, for the FIVE make one hundred. Each
of the parents consume say fifty, so that the
pair and family devour two hundred every
day This, in three months, amounts to
twenty thousand in one season But as the
grub continues in that state four seasons. this
single pair with their family, without reckon
ing their descendants after the first year.
would destroy eighty thousand grubs Let
us suppose that the half namely forty thou
sand, are females, and it is known that they
usually lay about two hundred eggs each, it
will appear that no less than eight millions
have been destroyed. from being hatchod, by
the labors of single family of jays. 1t is
by reasoning in this way, that we learn to
know of what Importance it is to attend 20
the economy Of nature, and to be cautious
how we derange it by our short sighted and
futile operations
Jays sometimes help themselves to the
ripening corn in the fields; but in 855 the
white grubs destroyed more corn for us than
the jays did for the farmers in the whole
township, aud last season the grub was nearly
as injurious 20 our corn.
Says DR.. Fitch, with regard TO remedies
We may observe that in Europe the expert
onco Of centuries has failed TO discover any
efficient measure for destroying a similar in
sect during it's larva period of existence. 49,
And concealed in the ground as these grubs
are, it is not probable that any substance can
be applied to the soil of sufficient power to
kill them, without destroying also whatever
vegetation is there growing
The DIR. suggests plan that might some
times be put in pracstice. When the grubs
are so numerous as to sever the grass roots,
as is sometimes the case, he recommended
the placing Of temporary fence around that
portion Of the field thronged with these grubs,
and enclosing number OF swine therein, thus
for while converting the patch into hog
pasture. BY so doing, the hogs would feed
themselves the grubs would be exterminat-
ed and the land would be MANFRED, cleansed,
mollowed, and well prepared for Immediately
laying down TO grass again, or for receiving
any rotation Of crops for which the owner
may deem the spot best adapted From our
own experience, we think it would have been
better for us to have let these grub-infested
fields lain fallow than to have planted them
| with corn. When hoeing the corn the Sc
/ cond time, we found in nearly every hill from
one to three or more, of the full-sized grubs
about the base of the plants, the roots Of
which they feed upon. We undertook to dig
them from the hills of corn, but the remedy
was about as bad the disease as we nee
essarily broke many Of the remaining roots
much to the injury of plants. The result
was about third of usual crop. If we had
kept the ground fallow, and narrowed over as
often as the weeds started, perhaps we should
have starved the "critturs :" but as it was
they found support from the corn, and during
the winter and spring passed through the
change from the grub to the perfect or wing
ed insect, and the next May emerged from
the ground in swarms-deposited their egg.
| for another brood of worms, that will proba
bly, commit similar ravagos. We shall b,
cautious in future about planting corn on lane
badly invested with these grubs.