St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1884-02-23
Usefulness OF the Mole.

Al It's AHSatldDlc munger lies the
value of the mole. Though it feeds
largely on earthworms, it does not con-
fine itself to such prey, but devours
many subterranean larvae which are in
furious to the crops. Especially does it
wage war against the terrible larvae of
the cockchafer, called, par excellence,
the Grub, and sometimes known as the
white worm.
This creature passes three years below
the ground, devouring the roots of the
vegetation; and when it attains its per-
feet state, eats the leaves of trees The
mole also eats the wireworm, name
of fear to the wheat-grower. Besides,
the greater part of the buried pupR
which it discovers and eats are injurious
to the crops, and the mole, instead of an
enemy, is a distinct benefactor to man.
L lately met with an unexpected con-
hrmatiOn of this statement. In the
course of my lecturing tours, l some
times find myself at Hull. and on one
occasion met several large landowners
at dinner. The conversation turned on
moles and their Ubiquitous depredations
Of course took up the cudgel for the
mole, and with fair amount of success.
1oiAAS obS hlOutloHCu "ltu1u IL"
miles there was a well-known field
which had once swarmed with moles.
and was notable for the steady crops
which it produced annually. 1t has
passed into the hands of another pro-
Prietor, who had the moles DESTROYED,
and the field was ever afterward as
barren as it had been prolific.
need not say that at the first oppor-
tunlty l visited the field in question,
and more hopelessly ragged and for
lorn piece of ground can hardly be
imagined. Finding that there was
resident farmer who knew all the cir
cumstances, and who never allowed |
moles to be killed on his own land, l |
lost no time in making his acquaintance
He was very kind in giving the requisite
information, which was so valuable that
l asked him to put it on paper for the
benefit of the British farmer So here
present it to the reader:
NORTH Terribly, Feb. Z. 1882.
DEAR SIR: have much pleasure in writ
ing what know of the use of the mole, and
OF the loss sustained by killing it. To kill |
moles is to leave the corn and turnip crop, es-
pecially upon light Soils such as sand and
dcep-soiled void land, to the ravages of the
larvaD. and other insects. have farmed and
still farm from a thousand to fifteen hundred
acres OF land in different parishes, and have
noticed that when you kill and try to exter-
inmate mofes. rocks, sparrOws, etc, you have
proportlonate destruction from the creatures
which they feed upon.
AN old mole-catcher once came to me and |
asked If would have the mOles killed on my
land said to him: No: If had no moles |
should have no crops He replied: Sir, you
are right He then went on to say: L once
Killed for gentleman who had field with
large hill in it, The soil was sandy and full of
m0les, ana yet 1t used to grow nice crops /
killed the mOles, and it never grew ANYTHING
20 speak of afterward. The wireworm grub,
ETC. etc. etc, used to eat the roots of everything
NAT was sown, and the young plants died or
me Old man then told me the name of the ,
gentleman and his farm. l knew both.
II have friend living in North Lincoln
shire who farms three thousand acres OF {
7arious kinds of land, and never allows the |
noles to be destroyed.
yours very truly. +
John p. CLARK"
My correspondent, however, omits to
mention three more benefits conferred
N man by the mole. One is, that it es-
abllshes most elaborate system of
ubsoil drainage. How admirable a
cheme it is l never realized until had i,
cen Yeald's diagrams. h
The second benefit is that of ventilat- 8
lg the soil. 1t must be remembered II
nat the roots of trees and plants need Il
lr. and all cultivators know how neces- h
ary it is to loosen the earth round a o
liant should it be caked. 4
The third use is, that in its search W
tier prey, it is perpetually bringing "
esh and fertile earth from below pull m
erizing it, and throwing it on the sur CT
&C. where it acts as an invaluable top ia
'essing. ri
1t is only in accordance with human b,
'ture that agriculturists pay to have ar
e grub and wireworm killed, and to y
I'VE the fields drained, to have the soil 81
osened. and to put a top-dressing on of
e surface, and then pay men to kill vi
e moles, who do all this work for fo
'thing.-Rer. j. G. Wood, in Long, bo
ans Magazine. of