62 



Usefulness of Toads. 



Vol. IX. 



that only six feel in every direction from 

 its jmint receives protcclion, while the rest 

 of the building is left exposed to almost cer- 

 tain destruction, if struck by lightning un- 

 der these circumstances, and in tliis way it 

 can be readily understood why houses hav- 

 ing a rod, are frequently destroyed, and the 

 disrepute into whicli the ordinary means of 

 protection liave fallen in many parts of our 

 land. 



One conductor is sufficient for almost any 

 sized building, provided its elevation is 

 equally great, but when this is not desira- 

 ble, two or more placed ii> different situa- 

 tions should be employed, — particularly if 

 there be several high pohits or chimneys. 



It should be secured to the building by 

 means of iron or wooden stays, embracing 

 necks of glass bottles, rings of horn, or 

 dried wood, through which the rod should be 

 passed, — thereby removing all danger of the 

 lateral discharge, which however, is not 

 great if the rod be perfect, and due attention 

 be paid to facilitate the discharge at its ter- 

 mination into the earth's surface. 



The termination of the rod should be into 

 earth permanently moist, which is found or- 

 dinarily at five or eight feet in sandy or 

 gravelly soil. This is of vast importance, 

 and if overlooked, will endanger the build- 

 ing and its inmates, however perfect tlie 

 conductor may be in its construction and 

 application; much, almost every thing de- 

 pends on this principle being fairly carried 

 out, the rod must be inserted into earth per- 

 manently moist. 



In order to guard the rod from rust, when 

 passed into the ground, it will be necessary 

 to paint it a number of times with good 

 black paint, and the hole into which it is in- 

 serted, should be partially filled up with fine 

 charcoal, such as found in the pen of every 

 housekeeper; as this not only retains moist- 

 ure for a long time when wet, but likewise 

 counteracts that tendency to rust, which 

 proves so destructive to iron, with a few 

 years exposure in our climate. 



With due attention to these directions, 

 and the principles laid down more fully by 

 Professor Olmstead, of New Haven, the 

 community may rest satisfied that there is 

 almost perfect security in the lightning-rod 

 of Franklin, and no reason, whatever, in 

 itself considered, why public confidence 

 should be withdrawn in any degree from 

 this mode of protection, which has been 

 confirmed both by experience and philoso- 

 phy. J. M. P. 



It is, perhaps, easier to bring up a dozen 

 children correctly, than to reibr;n a single 

 ruined one, 



Usefulness of Toads. 



In proportion to what he is capable of 

 doing, there is not a more useful animal to 

 man than the toad. He has not bad habits, 

 and in the pursuit of a livelihood he is sure 

 to benefit some body. Yet how oiten do we 

 find him the victim of an ignorant and cruel 

 prejudice. Naughty children are allowed 

 to torture and kill them through mere v»'an- 

 tonness; and the fastidious lady sometimes 

 orders them expelled from her garden, lest 

 her nerves might be disturbed by meeting 

 them in her walk. 



The spawn of the toad, like that of the 

 frog, is deposited in the water. As soon as 

 the young have attained the use of their 

 legs, they take to the land, and subsist on 

 such flies, beetles, and worms, as they are 

 able to swallow — thus in obtaining their 

 subsistence, rendering a very essential ser- 

 vice to the farmer and gardener. The 

 number of insects in this way destroyed, 

 is immense. As many as fifteen beetles 

 have been found in tlie stomach of a single 

 toad. It feeds mostly in the night, at which 

 time insects are abroad. It is quite amusing 

 to see the toad seize its prey. In the dusk 

 of evening, it may be seen through the sum- 

 mer season, near the places most frequented 

 by insects, snapping up, almost with the 

 quickness of lightning, every bug or worm 

 that makes its appearance. 



In the days of boyhood, we have often 

 amused our friends by the exhibition of a 

 large pet toad. During the day we kept 

 him in a little pen iij the shade, covered by 

 a board. At evening we let him out and 

 fed him with " white grubs," " cut-worms," 

 &c., which during the day, had been de- 

 tected in their depredations on the corn- 

 field. Sometimes when his appetite was 

 keen from twenty-four hours' fasting, we 

 would enjoy the sport of seeing him swallow 

 a big horn-bug or " pincliing-bug." And 

 such a face as the toad would " make vp .'" 

 But after scratching and straining a little, 

 he would get him down. On one occasion 

 this toad swallowed in rapid succession, 

 twdve full grown larvas of^ the May-bug, 

 (the "white grub.") This will give som« 

 idea of the great benefit which results fr^ra 

 tlie destruction of insects by this anim™' 



Several years ago, a gentleman af'^'^/tised 

 in the newspapers for toad? to .^*^^ "'' h's 

 <rarden, for which he ofiered - small sum 

 each, and if others would f-^^^" ''-'s exam- 

 ple, and thus induce thp-^^-f ^o save the 

 toads alive instead of k-""g' them, all would 

 be gainer^- — Cultivrf^ 



P..MEMBER t\v economy anS industry are 

 tie two great p-'^^^rsof the farmer's prosperity. 



