22 ENTOMOLOGY FOR FARMERS. 



neighbors, as he meets them from day to day. The ravages of the Hes- 

 sian-JIi/, of the Cut-inorm and of the Caterj)illar^ arrest the attention and 

 deeply affect the interests of all who are engaged in that most necessary 

 of all pursuits, the cultivation of the earth. And if entomology were 

 presented as a remedy or a preventive of some of these injuries, we might 

 expect that our thrifty farmers would not be slow to avail themselves of 

 the advantages which it offers. But this is only a small part of that 

 which it actually does. 



"Some knowledge of the classification of insects and of the scientific 

 details of entomology," says Harris inhis '■^Insects of Massachusetts,'''' a 

 work which ought to be in the house of every farmer, "seems to be ne- 

 cessary to the farmer to enable him to distinguish his friends from his 

 enemies of the insect race. He ought to be acquainted with the trans- 

 formations and liabits of the latter, in all their states, so that he may 

 know how and when most successfully to employ the means for pre- 

 venting their ravages. This kind of knowledge will often guide him in 

 the selection of the proper remedies, and may prevent him from falling 

 into many mistakes." That this is not mere theory, but connected with 

 the most important practical results, Mr. Harris has shown in the useful 

 hints which are every where scattered through the work to which we 

 have just alluded, but we content ourselves for the present with addu- 

 cing a single instance which is found on page 327 : 



"Among the various remedies that have been proposed for prevent- 

 ing the ravages of cut-icorms in wheat and corn-fields, may be mention- 

 ed the soaking of the grain, before planting, in copperas-water and other 

 solutions supposed to be disagreeable to the insects ; rolling the seed in 

 lime or ashes; and mixing salt with the manure. These may prevent 

 wire-worms (luU) and some insects from destroying the seed ; but cut- 

 worms prey only on the sprouts and young stalks, and do not eat the 

 seeds. Such stimulating applications may be of some benefit, by pro- 

 moting a more rapid and vigorous growth of the grain, by which means 

 the sprouts will the sooner become so strong and rank as to resist or 

 escape the attacks of the young cut-worms. Fall-ploughing of sward- 

 lands, which are intended to be sown with wheat or planted with corn 

 the year following, will turn up and expose the insects to the inclemency 

 of winter, whereby many of them will be killed, and will also bring 

 thorn within reach of insect-eating birds. But this seems to be a doubt- 

 ful remedy, against which many objections have been urged.* The only 

 effectual remedy at present known, has been humorously described by 



* See Mi. Cohnan'o "Third lloporl of the Agriculture of Massaclmsetls," p. t»2. 



