370 INSECTS. 



dig long holes, rairie jjiles of dirt, devour and tramp down large 

 patches of Dieadow. They can usually he caught quite easily in 

 steel traps; they can he shot if one has the patience to watch for 

 them. Where the ground is not too high and drj' and a good 

 supply of Avater handy, b}' taking advantage of a Avet time when 

 the soil is full of moistuie, they can often be drowned out and 

 made to come to the surface, Avhere they make si)ort for the dog. 

 To heljJ make the job a success, before beginning, dra^v several 

 barrels of water and pour them in quick succession down the 

 hole, which is in the highest jDlace. 



Insects. — The rest of this chajiter is pi-epared for this volume 

 by my colleague. Prof. A. J. Cook. 



It is generally supposed, even by those best informed and most 

 interested, that our forage plants, including clovers and grasses, 

 are comparatively free from the devastation of insect pests. 

 While our fruits, vegetables and grains are known to be tunneled 

 or devoured at the root, girdled or fed upon at stem and foliage, 

 and blasted in the fruit, the same is not generally supposed to 

 be as true of the plants which give value to our jiastures and 

 meadoAvs. While Harris and Fitch giA'e account of many in- 

 sects which prey uj^on iiearly all others of our cultiAated plants, 

 very fcAv are mentioned that attack our grasses and clovers, even 

 by these great scientists and Avonderful obserAers. Mr. J. Stan- 

 ton Gould, in his Forage Crops, knows only four insects Avhich 

 attack the clovers, while at that time OA'er seA'enty were known 

 to attack the apple. This is not because such enemies do not 

 exist, but rather because the i)lants fed upon are so abundant 

 that even great damage is either not noticed or else is suj3posed 

 to be due to drought or other climatic disturbance, or forsooth to 

 tiie "'running out'' of the croj). The Aery nature of our 

 grasses and clovers conceals insect ravages, and thus the harm 

 must become \'ery patent or it Avill generally be all unobserved. 



At present over scA-enty different species of insects are known 



