204 THE GRAPE CULTURIST. 



Beetle, but assist us in destroying those that are injuri- 

 ous ; 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 

 insect remedies, and, doubtless, a few of them are really 

 what they purport to be, as some are easily destroyed by 

 very simple means, but there is no universal remedy, the 

 application of which is at all practicable. A material 

 that would act as a poison upon one might serve as a 

 food for another, while it would be very difficult to find 

 anything so powerful that it would kill all kinds of 

 insects, and, at the same time, not injure the plants 

 upon which they were found. 



It should also be borne in mind that all the different 

 orders and families of insects are not constructed exactly 

 on the same plan, and do not obtain their food nor 

 attack plants in the same way. For instance, the beetles 

 (Coleopterd) have mandibles, or jaws, with which they 

 bite, crush, or, as it may be said, chew their food ; and 

 when these pests attack plants they cut holes in, or con- 

 sume the leaves and stems, and their grubs (larvae) do 

 the same ; consequently, by dusting or spraying the 

 plants with poisons, such as Paris Green, London Pur- 

 ple, or even less virulent insecticides, a few particles 

 taken in with their food causes death. With the Lepid- 

 optera, butterflies and moths, no solid food is consumed 

 by the perfect winged insect, although they may sip a 

 small amount of liquids occasionally ; but when in the 

 caterpillar stage they are usually very voracious, having 

 strong mandibles, like the larger beetles, or Coleoptera, 

 and may be destroyed with similar preparations or poi- 

 sons ; but many of the species are so large that they are 

 readily gathered by hand. 



The Hemiptera, or true bugs, are not furnished 

 with strong mandibles, or jaws, but in place of these 

 they have a proboscis-like organ, with which they punc- 



