Weekly Trinity journal., 1865-04-22
Natures scavengers.

Nothing IS regarded with more loathing in a
dwelling tAan the living vermin which penetrate
pantries and closets, and scatter themselves over
kitchens, dining-rooms and into recesses. Yet
she ants, cockroaches and flies which move so
mach disgust, and produce much discomfort.
are the agents which nature employs to get rid
of animal and vegetable refuse, and feculent
matter which would otherwise faint the atmos1
phsre and render large cities unwholesome. As
bees about flowers are the evidence of sweetness,
SO vermin in city are indications of the pres
ence of matter which would be injurious to the
common health but for the rapidity with which
these little workers, look upon with aversion, rid
il of unwholsome and putrefying substance
The ant, with diligence that would put most
industrious workers to shame, will pick up a
particle of animal food twice its size, or a
dead insect vastly disproportioned to its own
bulk, and will carry it off to bury in the common
laboratory which transmutes putretaction into
elemental purity. Three fesh-hes, Linuau s.
says, will cate the carcass of horse sooner than
hungry hon can do II. The common house,
fly is more delicate in its tastes, but as a grub
or in its larva state it has voracious appetite
for decay flesh, and will gobble it up quicker
than the rebel guerrillas do our negligent Union
scouts. The tribe of beetles TO which the loath-
some cockroach belongs are Of the most raven
Gus things in nature, and carry off fostering subj
stances quicker than the carrion crow. All these
insects purify TIE atmosphere the same as fishes
and frogs do the water, making it fit for the use
of humanity.
Though, as naturalists, we may find profit and
delight in studying the habits of insects, and
see compensatory dispensation in the workings
of nature, which convert a common and wide
spread nuisance into a sanitary benefit as do
mestc economists, we doubt whether any feelng d
OF respect for the purpose of CREATION can recon-
ellie the most enthusiastic lover Of nature TO thel
thought of colonizing such insects in his cup-
boards, or allowing the limited accommodations
of a habitation to be devoted TO their entertain ]
ment. We know that We are now occupying
delicate ground. and that we shall have some of
our more fastdious housewives down in udg1
ment upon our temerity for touching q subject
which seems solely within the province of their
direction and superintendent But the contem-
platon Of the subject inspires our holiness, and
we must drop the suggestive hint which comes
at this time into our mind il is for The dornestic
comfort of housewives ; besides, we like when
an opportunity occurs, to give practical appli
cation 70 our thoughts. The geographical dis i
tribution of insect scayengers is said to be in|
exact accordance with the need for their services
In temperate climates where decomposition isl
slow, their number is large. in hot and arid
climates, where animal substances dry before
putreiactlon, there are none. Apply this prin-
cipal to our habitations and we will see that theI
abundance of vermin in dwellings comes FRONT
some cause within our own control. The usesI
they subserve can by possibility be separated
from the idea of the causes which produce them
and however vulgar the prejudice NAV be- ami
instinct of purity revolts at their presence Wei
have imagined indeed, that the degree of thisI
purity can be measured by the disgust the objects
themselves produce, and hence that we may haye1
tolerably accurate insight into the sweetness
and economy presiding over kitchen administered
ton by its total exclusion of all opportunitiesI
for pursuing genealogical studies The Russians
who not remarkable for household cleanl-I
ness, are so overrun with cockroaches that, it isl
said, they burn their dwellings when the annov-I
ance becomes no longer toerable NithoutI
advocating the Russian practice, when insurance.
is so uncertain, we think there is great virtue in
soap and hot water frequently and thoroughly
administered, and that it is untidness and WASTED
the scatterings of loose handed Extravaganza
neglect and carelessness, when left to their ownI
authority and dominion. which create and per-
petuate common nuisance which few CITY re- i
siders are free from.