374 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW-YORK 



CHERRY. LEAVES. 



eat them, thougli I suppose it to be more for sport than food that 

 grimalkin is frequently seen at twilight, stealthily creeping 

 through the grass of the door-yard, and springing upon these 

 beetles as they crawl therefrom to take wing. Our domestic 

 fowls are also very fond of the grubs. But of all the destroyers 

 of these insects, no other animal can vie with the crow, which 

 frequently follows the track of the plow to feed upon the grubs 

 of the May beetle which are turned up thereby. 



With regard to remedies we may observe, that in Europe the 

 experience of centuries has failed to discover any efficient measure 

 for desti'oying a similar insect during the larva period of its exis- 

 tence. And concealed in the ground as these grubs are, it is not 

 probable that any substance can be applied to the soil of sufficient 

 power to kill them without destroying also whatever vegetation is 

 there growing. But where these grubs are so numerous as to sever 

 the roots of the grass and pare the turf, I think there is a measure 

 which may readily be resorted to whereby they may be extermi- 

 nated. I would recommend the placing of a temporary fence 

 around that part of the meadow or pasture which is so thronged 

 with these grubs, and enclosing a number of swine therein, thus 

 for a while converting the patch into a hog pasture. The pro- 

 pensity of these animals for rooting and tearing up the turf, we 

 are all aware, is for the very purpose of coming at and feeding 

 upon the grubs and worms which are lurking therein; and who 

 knows but this rooting propensity, which has all along been com- 

 plained of as being the most troublesome and vicious habit which 

 belongs to swine, may after all turn out to be the most valuable 

 and necessary to us of any of the habits with which they are 

 endowed ? At all events, it is one of man's greatest achievements 

 to so observe and study the habits and instincts of the lower ani- 

 mals, as to devise ways whereby those habits and instincts, instead 

 of being exerted to his injury, are brought into his service and 

 made to work for his benefit. Therefore do not let us " lords of 

 creation " allow these vile field grubs to rob us of two or three 

 acres of grass without obliging them to give back to us an equiv- 

 alent for it. Let us have the value of that grass returned to us 

 in the increased size and thriftiness of our swine. I cannot but 

 think these animals, confined upon a spot so overstocked with 



