INSECTS. 187 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



INSECTS. 



THERE are few of our cultivated fruits that are less liable 

 to be infested by insects than the grape ; it has its enemies, 

 however, which, if allowed to increase, would soon become 

 quite formidable. In some parts of the country insect 

 ravages have been so great that it has materially checked 

 the cultivation of the vine. 



The rapid increase of insects is, without doubt, owing in 

 a great measure to the destruction of those birds that live 

 mostly upon them. If we destroy or drive away the natu- 

 ral enemies of the insects, then we must take upon our- 

 selves the office of destroyer, and work with perseverance 

 and vigilance, or see ah 1 our efforts to produce fruit in 

 abundance of no avail. That noxious insects are rapidly 

 increasing throughout the country must be apparent to 

 every one who has given the subject attention. Insects 

 that ten years since were unknown in the Western States, 

 are now found there in abundance, having been intro- 

 duced, not only from the Eastern States, but imported 

 from European countries with seeds, fruits, etc. 



It matters but little where these hosts of insects come 

 from, the fact that they exist, with few idlers among them, 

 is enough to set every one of us to work to check their 

 progress in every way possible. To proceed on our work 

 of destruction understandingly, we should first know our 

 enemies, for some insects that are found on the grape vine 

 do not injure it, but assist us in destroying those that are 

 injurious, therefore an indiscriminate slaughter, in many 

 cases, would be very injudicious. There are many nos- 

 trums offered at the present time which are said to be in- 

 sect remedies, and doubtless a few of them are really what 



