H6 SOME SOUTH INDI.W INSECTS. ETC. [( HAP. XI. 



appearance or b) sowing earlier so that the plants are sufficiently 

 well-grown to withstand it-, attack. The various beetles (Cock- 

 chafers, Rose-chafers {Cetoniada), and Blister-beetles) which often 

 do serious damage to the (lowers of cereals, may be quoted .is 

 instances ; their early stages are passed underground and are quite 

 unconnected with the growth of the cereals and their appearance 

 in the winged state is probably connected definitely with weather- 

 conditions and always occurs at particular seasons of the year; if 

 therefore the flowering of the cereals can be so adjusted as to take 

 place before or after their emergence, damage may be prevented. 



The common domestic fowl and other domestic poultry, 

 especially ducks, guinea-fowl and pea-fowl, are excellent and 

 indefatigable insect-hunters and their assistance in cultivated areas 

 is not to be despised by the cultivator who wishes to obtain a 

 good outturn of crop. In areas such as cotton-fields especially 

 fowls do excellent work in checking insects with mutual benefit to 

 themselves and the cultivator. Very many kinds of wild birds 

 also are largely or wholly insectivorous. Their actual food and 

 importance are discussed in another chapter and it suffices here 

 to note that birds such as mynahs and drongos or king-crows 

 spend their whole lues in capturing insects and should therefore 

 be looked on as amongst the farmer's best friends and be protected 

 and encouraged in every way. A few perches made simply ol a 

 cross piece of wood fastened to an upright thrust into the ground 

 amongst young crops will provide resting-places on which birds 

 such as drongos will be encouraged to sit, ready to swoop down 

 on to any insect seen stirring amongst the surrounding crops. 



The stimulation of plant-growth by means ot manures or other 

 methods is another agricultural practice which helps to minimize 

 the incidence and effects of the attack of crop-pests. A plant 

 which is thoroughly healthy will often escape attack or will at 

 least suffer comparatively little, whereas a sickly plant will be 

 attacked tar more readil] and its produce will be reduced to a 

 far greater extent. It is possible plants may produce toxins as a 

 defence against the insect-pests to which they are normally exposed 

 and that such toxins air waste products of the metabolic changes 

 induced by healthy growth but that, if the health of the plant is 

 impaired by bad cultivation or uncongenial conditions of any sort, 

 the whole ol its energies are required for growth and such toxins 

 are not elaborated and consequently the plants are more subject to 

 attack b> pests of all kinds ; but this idea is onlj put forward as a 

 supposition. 



Irrigation, where this is possible, is sometimes a good method of 



control of crop-pests even when the soil is not deficient in moisture. 



