Insects and Sprays 179 



Even a fence will afford protection, however, 

 against winds, and evergreens will do some good. 



The surface of the garden should have no de- 

 pressions into which the water will drain and stand. 

 This will breed certain pests, mosquitoes among 

 the number, and the vegetables near will be too 

 moist with the possible result of rotting them. 



The toad is the gardener's best friend. Never 

 kill one. In three months he will devour 10,000 

 insects, among which are beetles, worms, snails, 

 spiders, grasshoppers, crickets, weevils, moths, 

 caterpillars, wasps, yellow-jackets, ants, and others. 

 It never eats food without life. It can live two 

 years without eating, but cannot live long under 

 water, and it can lay more than a thousand eggs 

 a year. Cultivate toads. 



Angleworms do not harm plants. Instead they 

 bring good soil to the surface and mix it with the 

 other soil. They draw leaves, grass, etc., into their 

 holes and make humus and when they die they fer- 

 tilize the soil with their bodies. Robins would eat 

 more fruit than they do now if they had not angle- 

 worms to feed on. 



