Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1877-07-24
agricultural.
.hnuf Norious Insects.

avyaken swarurs Of insects from their long
slnmber. and remind the farmer and gard
eper that there is such a thing as war
Of races and that the battle Is not AZ
WAYS to the strongest, but to the most
numerous and persistent. Many farm
or learned this fact last Summer while
lighting Colorado potato beetles and ne
NAV as well be making ready to meet this
enemy and scores of others, which are
found upon every farm and in almost every
Garden. The pillow and spade will uneaith
many insects which, it LETT alone, may
during the year become the parents OF
hundreds and thousands therefore 1t Is
aiways A safe plan to commence lighting
poxious species while they are lew III
nnmber The white grubs, which are
turned up in almost any good grass land
or strawberry patch, will in time change
70 the common brown May beetle, very
destructive insect both in Its larvae ana
perlec, stage. Birds, and especially the
crow and blackbird, are fond OF these
crubs and will search over newly-pIoWed
ground very carefully for them II permit
ted to DO SO.
The great greasy cut worm Is the 'aiEa
of very pretty moth, which like the
Nav beetle. is attracted by light, and ire-
uuen,ly flies into open doors and windows
NJ our dwellings during warm Summer
evenings consequently We have two eA'
cellent opportunities for lessenlng thoS,
nests; first, by killing every larya found
while working the soil, and by taxing al
which NAV be attracted into our presence
bv Iamps. or fires built for the purpose a
ni,ht. Some farmers build fires IN then
fields at night for the purpose OF attracting
ni,bt-fyin, species of insects, Which ~
INTO the flames and are killed. The max
in, of fires in the open field for this pur
nose Is of questionable utility, inasmncl
as II Is well known that macy useful IN
sect. are also attracted by the light o
the fire. and are destroyed with the nox
ions ones. For instance. the Harpaius
an extensive genus Of ground beetles
which feed almost exclusively upon oihe
insects. and some Of the species have bee
found DESTROYING the larvae OF the Colora
| 10 potato beetle but they are nocturnal
in habit and likely 70 be destroyed whei
any such wholesale aud indiscrlminAt
methods are adopted a. those named
Under such circumstances we believe
man should know enough OF entomolog
TO distinguish between well.known friend
and foes, before putting any ~holesai
method Of -laughtering insects into prac
( tco.
The rspd increase Of noxious insect
of late years Is doubtless due IN gTea
measure to our interference with natura
laws. whereby the prepouderance OF an
one c,a-. Is prevented; but though gens'
al iruorance or ,tolid Indifference 10 wha
natu-alists have taught them, the ayr
cg'turi,t permits the hunter TO Kill o
! the birds, or himself helps IN the gener'
/ .,su-h,cr Of the iunocentS, whether bird
beas, or reptile. But the noxious insect
we have ever with Us, and even ii hit
Is done by every one owning farm @
garden. their number may be reduce,
There is probably no better general insec
icide than lime especially for the yese''
/ he garden. where it is readily applied
the soil or growing plants. The tea-be'
ties which often attack cabbsges aud tui
nips in Spring, may be driven away b
/ busting the plants with dry lime and tn
srub, of the asparagus beetle, and tn
/ >'uss Of the saw-fy, which often strip III
leavs Of cherry. pear, and other fru
trees. quickly die If touched with tai
caustic substance.
The laryr of the potatoc beetle "a
make little progress on leaves coveTe
with lime still when this pest Is abur
dant. a more powerful poison is require
| 10 keep 1t in check. Nothing better Ia
vet been discovered than Paris greer
( mixed with -four, at the rate Of one Poun
I Of the former to fifteen Of the latter, whlc
/ is .hen busted over the leaves while We
| with dew.