of the microscope ; but for my own part, tlie louger I live the 

 more I feel grateful to those Naturalists who have made a study 

 of the more minute forms of life. 



The practical bearing of these studies can only be demonstrated 

 when time brings about circumstances, and opportunities are 

 offered for their application. 



It is easy to guard our fields from the depredations of enemies 

 of a large size. In Southern India and Ceylon it is not difficult 

 to defend the crops from the marauding elephants, but the coffee 

 planter finds himself helpless to prevent the ravages of a small 

 coleoptero)), caWed by him the "Bovev," (llie Xylotrechusquadripes 

 of Chevrulat) which soon destroys his plantations. 



Now mark how important it becomes in such a case to know 

 perfectly the species the pest belongs to, the period when the egg 

 is laid, the length of time the insect lives in the larval, pupal, 

 and perfect state, and whether it is in turn destroyed by any 

 other insect ; without such facts how is it j^ossible to devise a 

 remedy for the evil ? 



I have been led to make these remarks in consequence of the 

 serious insect plague which has lately appeared on the vine. 



The insect to which I advert is the Phylloxera vastatrix, a 

 minute species, which in the perfect state is not more than 

 one-twelfth of an inch in length. 



The Geiiiis Phylloxera is included by most Naturalists in the 

 same family which contains our well known and troublesome 

 ajihides, whicli in this country have so often caused almost the 

 entire destruction of the hop crop, and are also great enemies to 

 the horticulturist. 



As the grape is grown over the whole of Southern and a large 

 part of temperate Europe, the destruction by the Phylloxera, 

 which is, I regret to say, now taking place in the vineyai'ds, be- 

 comes a very serious national and international evil. 



To give some idea of the mischief wrought, I may mention that 

 in the French department of Vaucluse alone, a district about the 

 size of the English county of Bedford, the loss by the ravages of 

 the Phylloxera during the three years ended iHll, amounted to 

 one million sterling in value. 



I read in the newspapers that the vinyards in the Bordeaux 

 district will this year produce no more than one-fifth of a crop 

 and I aiTl told by my own wine merchant that the wholesale price 



