130 
ed for years. (P]. XIV, Fig. 58.) If pastured in infested ground, pigs 
will literally plow up the land in their search for grubs, and in a short 
time will practically eradicate the pests. Dr. Forbes (26) made an 
experiment to determine accurately the value of the pig in destroying 
grubs. One hundred pigs and 8 sows were turned into an enclosed 10- 
acre field September 23, and within 20 days 86 per cent. of the grubs 
were destroyed, and in 2% days less than 1 per cent. of the original 
infestation remained—a benefit of over 99 per cent. If we estimate 
34.6 grubs per hill—the count made at the beginning of the experiment— 
and 3556 hills to the acre (hills 3%4 feet apart each way) it will be seen 
that the pigs destroyed something like 1,218,067 grubs in 27 days, that 
is, 11,278 grubs per animal. It was further noted that the pigs appar- 
ently suffered no ill effects from the continuous grub-ration. 
An interesting and illustrative account of the probable important 
role played by swine in the control of white-grubs in Texas twenty or 
more years ago was given us by Mr. N. Mowinkle, a resident of Texas 
for over sixty years, and of Travis county, where the grubs have recent- 
ly caused immense losses, for most of this time. Until comparatively 
recent years it was the custom of the Indians to burn over the mesquite 
meadows every fall, and hogs were always given free range. Previous 
to the year 1877 no fencing of any kind was used, but about that time 
barbed wire came into use. Burning over the land was discontinued 
fifteen or twenty years ago and laws requiring that hogs should be fenced 
were enacted. About ten, or possibly twelve, years ago the white-grubs 
began to destroy the pastures; in other words, they first appeared in 
injurious numbers five to seven years after the burning over of the land 
was discontinued and fencing for hogs was required. No doubt these 
two changes in the situation were in a large measure responsible for the 
increase of the white-grubs in certain parts of Texas. 
That the eating of white-grubs under certain conditions may be 
harmful to pigs, occasioning infestation with intestinal parasites, has 
been shown by Dr. C. W. Stiles (69), who says that the giant thorn- 
headed worm (Gigantorhynchus hirudinaceus = Echinorhynchus gigas), 
an injurious intestinal parasite of swine (Fig. 46), passes one stage of its 
life in the bodies of white-grubs of the genus Phyllophaga,* the pigs 
obtaining them by eating infested grubs, which themselves become in- 
fested by way of the excrement of parasitized pigs. Especial care should 
be taken to pasture brood sows in fields on which pigs have not been 
pastured for two or more years. 
Turkeys are extremely fond of grubs and we have seen the sod of 
pastures overturned by these birds in their search for the pests. 
Chickens are not so active as turkeys in their search for grubs in 
unplowed ground, but it is wise to encourage them to follow the plow 
and cultivator whenever possible, and they will eagerly pick up every 
grub or May-beetle exposed. In one case which has come to our at- 
* Other authors have shown a Similar relation to exist between this worm 
and two common European grubs (Melolontha vulgaris and. Cetonia aurata). 
