Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1874-08-20
Jarm ann bonseboIo.
Toads in the Garden.

loads often come to the surface In the
newspapers, and pretty soon we may ex-
poet them to come again to the surface Of
the ground in search ofthe summer insects
upon which they exclusively feed. We
know gardeners who certainly know what
they are about, who buy up all the toads
they can get, and they amply repay their
cost in the destruction of insects and
Larvae.
Many persons have a loathing of this
real: Interesting but certainly not hand
some tufo, the result of superstition or
want of education. 1t is time we learned
that they cannot bite any more than a
garter snake, and if they could that bite
would be equally as harmless. We sup
pose the fiction that they carry jewel in
their head is no longer believed, Shakes
peare TO the contrary notwithstanding;
yet the latter IS more true than the former
indeed it is half true. They carry two:
their eyes, at least. are a. bright as any
jewels that ever sparkled in diadem
They are the most innocent of creatures
that ever ate Unfortunately anything
that had life that they could swallow that
came within reach. They are worth more
per head to the horticulturisi than chick
ems, even allowing that chickens did not
scratch, aud to put our readers thoroughly
in good humor with these insect deyourers,
we reproduce the following story ny Dr.
Harris:
lie supposed the odor OF the squash bug
tCoreas trisris) would protect it from the
toad; and to test the matter he offered one
to grave-looking Iufo, under cabbage
lie seized il eagerly. but spit i, out Instant
y, reared up on his hind legs and put his
front feet on top of his head for an instant
as If in pain, and then disappeared across
the garden in a series of the Greatest leaps
4 toad ever made. Perhaps the bug bit
the otter. Not satisfied with this. DR..
Harris hunted up another toad, which
lived under the piazza, and always summed
himself in one place in the grass, and
offered him squash bug. which he took
aud swallowed. winhing in very satisfied
manner. Twenty other fine bugs followed
the first in few moments, with no diff
Guilty or hesitation in the taking or swal-
lowing. though from the wriggling and
contortions, it appeared their corners did
not set well within. The stock OF bugs
then being exhausted, a colony Of smooth
black lary1 was fousd in a white birch.
each about three-quarters Of an inch long
and over 100 OF these were fed TO the wait.
Ing toad. Touching one of them with the
end of L straw, it would coil around Il.
and then when shaken before him he
would seize and swallow 1t, at first eager
y. but with diminished zest as the number
Increased. until ii became necessary TO rub
the worm against his lips for some time
before lie could decide about it, He would
then take it and sit with his lips ajar for
short time, gathering strength and resolu-
ton, and then swallow by a desperate
effort. There is no telling what the num-
Der or result would have been as the din
ner bell rang as the l0lst disappeared. and
by the close of the meal he had retired TO
his hole, nor did he appear for four days
ia his summing place. II is to be hoped
that he slept well. but there might have
been nightmares Western Rural.