Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-03-27
For the Freeman q.
Plant Food.
No. 2.
BY AGRICoLA.

All plants turn towards the sun, rs to
common benefactor. The potato vine ID
the cellar crawls to the crevice in the wall
through which the light streams in once
day. The blossoms upon the trees incline
their thousand tinted corals to catch the
first rays of the rising sun. Daylight Is
the only agent by which vegetables can
absorb carbonic acid from the atmosphere,
and inhale oxygen. In darkness this ac-
ton does not take place. 1t follows
therefore, that Towering plants in our
houses are healthful in the daytime, at
least. because they give out oxygen to be
breathed by human beings. and absorb
carbon which has been exhaled, rs waste
from the body. Without the solar ray,
the watcry sap in the upper portion OF the
leaf could not be decomposed. Without
the chemical power of the light there
would be no carbon to form the starch.
sugar, gum and woody fibre necessary Tor
the development of the plant. The farm
err, therefore, should be careful to secure to
his growing crops an abundance OF the
blessed sunshine.
Still again the growing crops must be
protected from destructive insects. This
is thought appended to our theme. ana
equally as important to the practical farm
er. But let it not be forgotten that the
farmer has friends as well as foes in the
insect world. He should have an intro
ducton to both classes, that he may honor
his friends and destroy his enemies. we
will first introduce his friends.
That ugly looking. dark-colored. fast,
-. H. I,;oh ;yoc ,,nIar lnnsp STONES
and pieces of boards is the farmer friend
1t is Matched from an egg which the ole
bug had deposited in the ground. I'M;
disgusting bug seems to have the special
work TO perform to destroy cut-worms ano
slate. colored grubs that lay waste our gar
dens. We charge the farmer. therefore
to let this bug alone. The tiger beetle
which may be seen running and flying II
trodden paths, is another friend OF thu
farmer. This is handsome spotted an,
striped insect, and carnivorous to the las
degree. No eater of leaf, or tree, or stall
of corn, will repeat such depredations.
the tiger-beelle gets hold of him. Th
mason-wasp is also pitiess insect muir
derer. 1t lays its eggs at the bottom o
clay cells, and then fills up these cells TO
the future young, with spiders. caterpil
lars and cankerworms-succ layer
of fresh meat, that they may grow unit
they are fitted for the upper air. DR.
Leonard found no less than seventy-nin
spiders in six or eight cells belonging t
one IF these waSps! The lady-bug is ais
the farmers friend. The larvae destro
great numbers of plant lice which exhaus
the juices from the tender apple tree an
the young leaves of the peach trees. An
the dragon-fy should be honorcd in histor
and in song, for its war upon annoyin
insects. His glory is in destroying cloud
of mosquitoes every summer. Even som
flies that resemble the wasp, destroy tb
eggs of vicious insects. They also feas
upon the maggot, the weevil, the wheat-f1
and the caterpillar. We can also spe,l
the praises of the mole and the toad &
insect catchers. And the birds of the al
should be protected and well cared for i
view of the service they render to tn
farmer. Two sparrows have been know
in single hour, to carry to their nest
forty caterpillars. The swallow, while O
the wing, destroys more apple moths an
millers than could be counted. The con
mon robin slaughters more grubs in I'll
months of May and June than David sic
Philistines in his whole life! Even II
hated and prosecuted crow eats five hul
dred grubs to one kernel of corn. In
word, not one of the singing birds of OF
fields, roads or gardens, is an enemy to Il
farmer; all do him positive good. Ye
these useful insects and beautiful birt
are hunted and destroyed by recke
sportsmen, and stupid Legislators off
bountics for their heads