98 TRUCK-FARMING AT THE SOUTH. 



without killing them, as they would then putrefy, but 

 just enough to keep them in a dormant state until 

 wanted. How wonderful the instinct of a mother to 

 provide food for offspring she will never behold ! Every 

 individual of the species, the descendant of countless 

 ancestors, has thus fulfilled this maternal duty for 

 ages past. Had the sand- wasp, for a single season, 

 neglected its instinctive work, there would be no " horse- 

 guards" to keep the cow-fly under control, and in a 

 measure to protect our cattle on the sea coast from 

 their annoyance. The most efficient aids to man in keep- 

 ing the increase of injurious insects within due limits, 

 are their natural enemies of the insect world, and some 

 of the insectivorous birds; for other birds devour indis- 

 criminately, both the useful and injurious insects. There 

 are also certain families of insects, which depredate upon 

 fche farmer's crops, and diminish his income, and certain 

 other kinds, which prey upon these, and are therefore 

 our friends and auxiliaries. Horticulture, it has been 

 truly said, is a war with insects, and we must antagonize 

 the former, and wage a relentless war against them, while 

 we patronize, protect, and foster the useful insects to the 

 best of our ability. 



If the farmer remains ignorant of these mutual rela- 

 tions between insects, a knowledge of the more common 

 instances being readily acquired, how is he to discrimi- 

 nate between friend and foe, so that he may not be guilty 

 of the evident impropriety of destroying both? How 

 often has the useful little friendly lady-bug been mis- 

 taken for the parent of the plant-lice, and been pitiless- 

 ly destroyed? 



If he that makes two blades of grass to grow, where 

 onlv one grew before, is a benefactor to mankind, he 

 that protects both from needless destruction, is not 

 less a benefactor ! Therefore, while it is not within the 

 power of man to wipe injurious insects from the face of 



