82 BRITISH MODES OF CULTIVATING 



destroying insects. He says, " after having studi- 

 ously observed the nature and causes of the vigor- 

 ous growth and healthfulness of plants, and of fruit- 

 trees of different kinds, I have been induced to be- 

 lieve that a fruit-tree or plant of any sort requires 

 nothing but proper cultivation in good earth, and 

 in a kindly climate adapted to its nature, to pre- 

 vent it from being injured by insects, or by blights 

 of any kind, and to enable it to produce, of its 

 kind, abundant crops. However, I wish it not to 

 be understood that I disapprove of using means of 

 any kind to destroy insects which are injurious to 

 plants ; but I conceive that all methods used for 

 that purpose, ought to be such as are conducive to 

 accelerate the growth of vegetables, by having at 

 least a tendency to purify the air, and to make the 

 circumambient atmosphere about them congenial 

 to their nature, unless when the destruction of the 

 insects by the hand is effected/' 



" Every insect has its proper plant, or tribe of 

 plants, which it naturally requires for its nourish- 

 ment, and on which it generally lays its eggs, and 

 that on the most concealed parts of the plant ; and 

 the plant, and insect which attacks it, are always 

 natives of the same climate, and therefore endure 

 the same degrees of heat and cold ; consequently, 

 when plants are attacked by their natural tribe of 

 insects, it is an exceedingly nice and curious oper- 

 ation to exterminate them without injuring the 

 plants, or stopping them in their natural growth. 

 But observing that insects increase rapidly in hot 



