The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-09-21

ssss-sS 1ulSs pUpuldf WIIte1 muoo noo "
criticised for not being up on every
thing relating to natural history. He
is more entertaining and does more
good than any ten of the learned pro-
fessors. But when we, see mistakes
that lead to mischief or to the damage
Of those interested in, fighting worms
and bugs we feel compelled to inter
pose q word of remonstrance.
ssBiil Arp speaks Of the, tomato
wormsas a new discovery to him. He
says: This season has developed q
big, long, bull-headed green worm,
with q sting in. the tail. They are
covered with white pustules about
e-eighth Of an inch long and stand
up thick and stiff and seem to be eggs
or emoryo or germs Of something that
is devilish. Concluding, he says:
It is.not unlike.a tobacco worm.
Like 4 tobacco worm; and we'll it
might be, for it is the same. Though
there are several species of them they
are al larvae of the large sphinx
moths that may be seen just at dusk
flying around jimpson flowers and
tobacco blossoms, and they all feed
upon she different species Of solon-
/ aceae.
The Sting In the tail. None Of
them sting OF bite, and their looking
horrible depends entirely upon ones
ignorance and prejudices. Contem-
|, plated as works Of God, adjusted to
certain ends, they are all beautiful.
And here we might as well at once
object to his theology about the devil
being the author Of noxious insects
and Wild beasts. Is it not mistake
torefer all things to man s use or pleas
ire r Surely God is the father Of all
his IL creatures and intends them all to
live and enjoy life.
The white pustules' observed on
his solitary tomato worm were not
eggs Of any kind. but the little silken
cocoons spun by the larvae of some
species Of ichneumon fly, which hay-
ing eaten out all the vital parts Of the
poor worm, mad come to the surface
and gone into the pupa state prepara-
tory to coming ont new ichneumons to
go and lay their eggs on more cater
pillars, to eat them up also. The
ugly worm was therefore in a dying
condition when discovered by cur
humorist.
For this reason worms seen with
the White cocoons on them should
never be destroyed. They can do no
more harm and will lnever become flies
! to propagate their species. It is our
interest to save all these ichneumon
cocoons. They produce flies that are
among our best friends.
LAWRENCE c. JOHNSON. Z
Pacheeta, Miss.
Ike that. I like all such gentle
q csriitiicisms. Man is never too old to
learn, and if I had my life to live over
again I would try to learn more Of
natural history and the mysteries Of
nature. would like to bean Agassiz
on Audubon or Cuvier or Linnacus, or
even Huber, the blind man who
taught us ell We know about bees.
But Lord Bacon said, "He that hath
wife and children hath given hostages
to fortune, for they are impediments
to great enterprises. A man who
marries early and has numerous and
lovely wife and offspring don't have
much time to investigate things out
side of home, and SO it was never
intended that family man should
devote much Of his time to bugs and
birds and fishes. That is alright if
he is a professor in college and
makes his living by it; but even then
he cannot comfort his wife OF play
horse or booger-bear with his children
to any alarming extent. And SO e
kind providence has wisely ordained
that only a few should be set apart for
invention, discovery and scientific re-
search, while the great majority
should be engaged in multiplying and
replenishing. I had fondly hoped
/. that in the retirement Of my old age |
would find abundant time to read and
ponder and philosophize upon these
things, but there is no retirement at
my house. The grandchildren are
more numerous than the children and
quite as lively and mischievious and
it takes half my time to watch them.
Only yesterday two little girls borrowed
some scissors from their grandma and
while I was gone to the postof6ce they
got my stamped envelopes from my
~ .,,t %Lor, into ;meo;norv