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

"This popular writer must not be
criticised for not being up on every
thing relating to natural history. lie
is more entertaining and does more
good than any ten Of the learned pro
fcssors. 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 word Of rcmonstrancc.
'Bill Arp speaks Of the tomato
worm as new discovery to HIM. lie
says: This season has developed a
big, long, bull-hcadcd green worm,
with sting in the tail They are
covered with white pustulcs about
onc-eighth Of an inch long and stand
up thick and stiff and seem to be eggs
or cmoryo or germs Of something that
is dcvilsh.' Concluding. he says
1t is. not unlike tobacco worm.
"Likc tobacco worm; and we'll it
might be, for it is the same. Though
there are several species OF them they
are all larvae of the large sphinx
moths that may be seen just ut dusk
flying around jimpson flowers and
tobacco blossoms, and they all feed
upon the different species of solon-
aceac.
"The sting in the tail None of
them sting or bite, and their looking
horrible depends entirely upon ones
ignorance and prcjudiccs. Contcm-
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 a mistake
to refer all things to man use or pleas
urc ? Surely God is the father of all
his 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 hav-
ing eaten out all the vital parts Of the
poor worm, had come to the surface
and gone into the pupa state prepara-
tory to coming out 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 our
humorist.
"For this reason worms seen with
the white cocoons on them should
never be destroyed. They can do no
more harm and will never 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 G. JOHNSON.
Paches.a, Miss.
l like that. 1 like all such gentle
criticisms. Man is never too old to
learn, and if had my life to live over
again 1 would try to learn more of
natural history aud the mysteries Of
nature. l would like to be an Agassiz
or Audubon or Cuvier or Linnacus, or
even Huber, the blind man who
taught us all we know about bees.
But Lord Bacon said, "He that hath
wife and children hath given hostages
to fortune. for they ar 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 aud
birds and fishes. That is alright if
he is professor in college and
makes his living by it; but even then
he cannot comfort his wife or play
horse or booger-bear with his children
to any alarming extent. And 80
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 girla borrowed
some scissors from their gtandma and
while was gone to the n,stoff;co tba,