204 SHALL ANDtALS AND INSECTS. [Chap. II. 



dimimitii-c size. Tlie groat destro^-crs of wheat, the midge, Ilcssian-fly, and 

 joint-worm, are so minute tliat a microscope is needed for their examination. 

 It is tiie same witli tlie aphis tribe, and what is called the "scale insect,"' 

 which cover the limbs of fruit-trees like a second bark, until millions of 

 mouths, although very diminutive, suck away the life of the tree. Neither 

 man nor bird notices these minute destroyers until it is too late to stop their 

 ravages. 



Kow let us look at M-hat some of these insect jicsts do to the farmer's 

 crops. As cotton is considered the great American staple, and as America 

 is, above all competition, the land of insects, we will first enumerate the cot- 

 ton destroyers found upon that plant In' that indefatigable student of ento- 

 mology, Townend Glover, wlio was employed by the Patent Oliice to collect 

 information upon the subject. 



242. Insects Infesting the foUon-Plant. — A species of cantharides, similar 

 to the striped potato lly, feeds upon the nectar or pollen, and sometimes eats 

 the petals of the flowere. These are injurious, and several others found in 

 the flowers did not a])i)ear to be so. 



A leaf beetle eats holes in the petals, and, some say, injures the bolls. A 

 largo, green, thorny, poisonous caterpillar damages the foliage in August 

 and September. It also attacks Indian corn. If handled incautiously, its 

 spines inflict jxiinful wounds. This large worm is in strong contrast with the 

 diminutive cotton-louse, which destroys the young plant in wet seasons. 



The boll-worm, however, is the great destroyer. Their presence in a cot- 

 ton-field is indicated by the great number of young bolls fallen to the ground, 

 after the inside has been eaten out. Before it falls, the worm crawls out and 

 attacks others, which in turn fall ; and if the worms are numerous, all the 

 bolls may be destroyed, just as all the plums of a tree are destroyed by 

 curculio. 



A small green caterpillar feeds upon and rolls itself in the leaves of the 

 cotton plant; and a solitary hairy caterpillar, of a yellowish color, eats the 

 leaves; and a green, smooth-skinned one feeds upon the blossoms ; and also 

 several very slendei', brownish span-worms. A small beetle, of a greenish, 

 metallic color, barred with dirty cream-color, often seen in the holes made 

 by boll-worms, is not thought a destroyer. It only follows in the path of 

 insects that do destroy. 



Various other small insects arc found on the plant, but it is not certain 

 that they are destructive, while several are well ascertained to be highly 

 beneficial to the cotton-planter. Among these we enumerate the lady-bird 

 {CoccineUa), which, both in the larva and perfect state, devours myriads of 

 cotton-lice. 



The planter and overseer should learn to distinguish these from noxious 

 insects, and instruct their hands to protect them. 



The larva of the bee-winged fly also destroj's lice, and ichneumon flies de- 

 posit eggs in their bodies. 



Tiger beetles {Cicindella) are also destroyers of the noxious insects. Ants 



