112 LIFE ON THE FARM. 



tongues or probosces long sucking tubes by means 

 of which they are able to reach it. There is mar- 

 vellous adaptation in the forms of blossoms and 

 the structure of insects to secure cross-pollination 

 among plants. Some of the most useful farm and 

 garden plants depend upon insects to carry pollen 

 from plant to plant. If it were not for the large 

 bumble-bee, seed would not mature in red clover. 

 The common honeybee carries pollen for the 

 white clover. We are indebted to the same hum- 

 ming, busy creature for abundant crops of apples 

 and many other useful fruits. An apple orchard 

 in full bloom fairly hums with the music of the busy 

 honeybee. Care should be taken in spraying fruit 

 trees not to kill any of these creatures, for they 

 are as necessary to a full harvest of fruit as soil, 

 rain, or sunshine. 



THE DESTRUCTION OF INSECTS. 



Birds and other animals annually destroy mil- 

 lions of insects in their different forms; insects also 

 kill each other. Otherwise, they would increase to 

 such an extent that no other animate beings could 

 exist upon the earth. This is a well-known fact 

 through the whole animal kingdom: mammals eat 

 mammals; birds eat birds; fish eat fish. Some- 

 times the parent will eat its own offspring. It 

 seems cruel, but it is, nevertheless, a fact, and is, 

 no doubt, necessary to preserve the balance ot 

 power and numbers among animals. 



