CHAPTER VIII. 



Natural antidotes to the wheat-midge — Benefits of insects 

 to man— Injuries — Beautiful balance of nature— Checks to 

 multiplication of insects — Ichneumons — Why so named 

 —Their general habits — Deposition of their eggs in the larvae 

 or eggs of other insects — Larvae of Ichneumons — How they 

 prey on their victims — Regulation of their numbers — Various 

 sizes — Wonderful instincts — Ichneumons glueing their eggs — 

 Ichneumons laying them in nests like cuckoos— Beneficial 

 results from Ichneumons— The Ichneumon of the wheat- 

 midge — Its name ; Plalygaster ^ipute- Curious error respect- 

 ing it — May be seen in July and August — Method of laying its 

 eggs— Mode by which this operation may be witnessed — One 

 egglayed by it in each larva — Remarks by professor Henslow— 

 OflSces of other Ichneumons found in wheat— Flies preying on 

 the midges— Precautions against the midge to be adopted by 

 farmers — Fine sieves — Burning the chatf-dust — Hessian fly- 

 Burning the stubble— Remarks. 



The good providence of God has supplied 

 most remarkable antidotes to the overwhelming 

 increase of what would otherwise be the ruin- 

 ously destructive hosts of the insects that prey 

 upon the corn, which he has given for the suste- 

 nance of man. Science and art have suggested 

 other remedies. It is proposed in this chapter 

 to describe them, for the comfort and benefit of 

 the agriculturist. We derive great advantages 



