THE PESTS OF THE FARM. 103 



until a large number of young and thrifty plants have been 

 severed by their sharp jaws. There are several remedies rec- 

 ommended against them. It is said that a handful of oil-meal 

 in a hill of corn will keep the worms employed until the plants 

 are grown too tough for the insect's attacks. I cannot recom- 

 mend it from personal knowledge, but should say it is worth 

 the trial, as it can do no harm if it does no good, the meal 

 being valuable as a fertilizer. Flour of sulphur scattered on 

 each hill is also well spoken of, as is an occasional application 

 of whale-oil soapsuds, lime, and wood ashes. 



The aim of the farmer should be to destroy the worms, rather 

 than prevent their ravages ; for this we have proved the follow- 

 ing the most reliable plan : Wet the earth on each hill, and 

 thrust down into it, to the depth of two or three inches, a smooth 

 round stick, three-fourths of an inch in diameter, and turn it 

 around several times until the hole made in the ground is on 

 all its sides perfectly smooth ; repeat this several times, so that 

 on each hill there are five or six of these holes. The cut-worms 

 in their peregrinations will fall into these traps and can be easily 

 caught and killed. It is a good plan to place around the hills 

 in scattered places in the field a number of old shingles ; the 

 cut-worms will hide beneath them from the daylight, and can 

 thus be captured. 



The ravages of the currant-worm are now much complained 

 of. The remedy most recommended is to scatter from an ordi- 

 nary dredging-box plentifully over the bushes, from time to 

 time, the dust of the white hellebore, which can be purchased 

 at any druggist's at a low price. 



There are many other species, indeed whole families, who are 

 pronounced by all as being unqualified pests. For checks to 

 the ravages of these I can offer only general suggestions. In 

 orchards the dead grass and rubbish beneath the trees should 

 be removed, and, if practicable, the ground should be ploughed 

 in early autumn. The dead bark should always be removed 

 from the trees, for beneath it the parent insect finds a most 

 acceptable place for the deposit of its eggs. Butterflies and 

 moths should on all occasions be destroyed, and the nests of 

 caterpillars, whether found on cultivated trees or wild ones by 

 the roadside, should always be removed. If care is exercised 

 in these matters, and protection is given to useful birds, a very 

 large proportion of the annual loss by insects will be saved. 



