200 PLiNr'a natural history. > [Book XJX. 



CJIAP. 58. THK PROPER REMEDIES FOR THESE MALADIES. HOW 



ANTS ARE REST DESTROYED. THE BEST REMEDIES AGAINST CATER- 

 PILLARS AND ELIES. 



The same author recoramends as a remedy against ants, 

 "Nvhich are by no means the slightest plague in a garden that is 

 not kept well watered, to stop up the mouths of their holes with 

 sea-slime or ashes. Eut the most efficient way of destroying 

 them is with the aid of the plant heliotropium f^ some per- 

 sons, too, are of opinion that water in M*hich an unburnt brick 

 has been soaked is injurious to them. The best protection for 

 turnips is to sow a few fitches with them, and for cabbages chick- 

 peas, these having the effect of keeping away caterpillars. If, 

 however, this precaution should have been omitted, and the 

 caterpillars have already made their appearance, the best remedy 

 is to- throw upon the vegetables a decoction of wormwood,^^ or 

 else of house-leek,^* known to some as '' aizoiim," a kind of 

 herb already mentioned by us. If cabbage-seed, before it is 

 sown, is steeped in the juice of house-leek, the cabbages, it is 

 said, are sure not be attacked by an}^ insect. 



It is said, too, that all caterpillars may be effectually exter- 

 minated, if the skull ^' of a beast of burden is set up upon a 

 stake in the garden, care being taken to employ that of a female 

 only. There is a story related, too, that a river crab, hung 

 up in the middle of the garden, is a preservative against the 

 attacks of caterpillars. Again, there are some persons who are 

 in the habit of touching with slips of blood-red corneP^ such 

 plants as they wish to preserve from caterpillars. Flies,^^ too, 

 infest well- watered gardens, and more particularly so, if there 

 happen to be any shrubs there ; they may be got rid of, how- 

 ever, by burning galbanum.*" 



(11.) With reference to the deterioration to which seed is 

 subject,^^ there are s<ome seeds w^hich keep better than others, 



^3 The Heliotropium Europseum of botanists. See B. xxii, c. 29. 



3* This may possibly, Fee says, be efficacious against some insects. 



'* See B, xviii, c, 45. 



" A mere puerility, of course, thougb it is very possible that the insects 

 may collect in it, and so be more easily taken. Garden-pots, on sticks, 

 are still employed for this purpose. 



38 See B. xvi, c. 00. 



39 " Culices," including both flies and gnats, probably. 



40 See B. xii. c. 5G. 



*i An almost literal translation of Theopbrastus, Hist. Plant. B. vii. o.6. 



