Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1920-08-17
Unwelcome Intruders.

1t is singular thing, but when GER
tain conditions arise, certain plants will
spring up and grow; and whenever par
ticular plants flourish, upon them will
thrive select line of beetles or other
insects, which may, in turn, be followed
by parasites to check extension. Change
conditions and all these will disappear, E,
making interesting phenomena to study.
For example: plant potato anywhere
and there will appear Colorado beetle
on the ground to meet the first expand
ing leaves when they emerge from the
brown earth. Build fire anywhere
out of doors and from the ashes will
spring that particular plant with q nod
ding purple plume known ss fire weed
1t would seem then that right condi-
tions are necessary for the birth and
growth of certain forms Of animal and
vegetable life.
1t Is acknowledged that the germ Of
life in plant seeds may be preserved for
centuries. Wheat found in or around
Egyptian mummies, after being en-.
tombed for thousands of years, will ger
inmate IL planted and show US the kind
of grain Joseph and Pharaoh cornered
and speculsted In and from which was
made bread that Cleopatra land Mark
Antony, also, quite likely fessted upon,
when she became earthly enough to
descend from her liquid diet of dissolved
pearls. But one don't have to 60 back
to the canned seeds OF Egypt for exam
pies of suspended animation In seeds.
There are examples right here at home.
Some more than half century ago
a part of field in the town of Oxford
was fertilized with dressing from q pen
of hogs that had been fed and bedded
with an abundance of mstured pig weed
and barn grass. The crops raised in
this field were so entirely deluged by
these weeds that the farmer owning the
field was glad to seed it down to get rid
of the weeds. 1t remained In grass for
some years; but when plowed up again
the weeds returned in full vigor on that
part dressed with the contents of the
hog pen. That condition has remained
to the present day. Whenever that
piece of land is plowed and hoed crops
| planted thereon, the weeds will return,
proving that the seed remains unger-
minated In the ground awaiting favor
able conditions.
The above is not q solitary instance.
There is another field In the same town
that presents similar proof. Years ago,
considerably more than half century,
when the first highway running from
Paris to Portland had been laid out by
authority of the Court ofComnon Pleas
and built over the worst hills to be
found in Oxford County, there lived on
| a farm beside this road near the banks
of the Little Androscoggin River, where
the road crossed this stream, man by
the name of Tarbox. By and by along
came a combination of circumstances.
The county road was changed to q loca-
tion of easier grades and away from this
mans house. Also the railroad came.
There was plenty of room for the road
to 90 around this house with little
bending of rails, but the engineers, with
their given rights of condemnation OF
land for public purposes, ran line
\ straight through the house. As con-
sequence, it was torn down and the land
around it that had been cultivated
turned out as pasture. A quarter of a
century later this land was again culti-
ysted and has continued to be until the
present. During all this time, the patch
formerly occupied by the kitchen gar.
den is plainly marked upon the field by
the kind of weeds which grew upon 1t.
It is we'll known that purslane, or as II
is commonly called pusley, grows in all
old gardens either In the old world OF
the new. 1t Is much disliked for its
persistent fight for life and when farm.
ers want to compare anything with the
worst thing they know, they say 1t is
"meaner than pusley." And yet, that
admired garden flower, the portulaca,
is first cousin. Well, 1t is the pusley
that marks the size and shape of this
old garden patch in this field, and the
seed had lain undisturbed for quarter
of a century, awaiting proper induce
nent to sprout.
So with insect life. When grasshop'
pers are plentiful, ash.gray beetles
lthrive and multiply; but with thinning
of hoppers comes the subsequent starva
tion of the beetles, simply from lack oi
grasshopper eggs, which is their chosen
food.
Nature is an inexorsble mistress
She can make eyes at you in summer
weather, but the north pole Is not more
cold or cruel when any plant or bug
gets too ''fresh" with her.
AoUARIUS,