INSECTS. 127 



The Rose, and many plants, are also often affected with a 

 large grub, which eats the roots asunder, and the consequence 

 is, the leaves turn yellow, and, if severely eaten, the plants often 

 die. The only method to destroy this depredator, is to clear 

 away the earth about the roots of the plant, where the enemy 

 will generally be found, although it is often the case that they 

 move their quarters, after they have done their work of de- 

 struction, to another plant. In this case, search must be 

 made under the neighboring plants, where the grub always 

 is to be found. 



The Caterpillar, Grass-hopper, and their natural families, 

 must be detected when in the act of making their depreda- 

 tions. The Caterpillar will be seen, in its crystalized state, 

 on the wood of trees and plants in the spring, in rings formed 

 around the branches ; and it is then the time to destroy it, as 

 one of these contains thousands of young caterpillars, in their 

 infant state. The Grass-hopper is the most easily taken early 

 in the morning, and must be caught on the plants, as the 

 Dahlia, &c., when it makes its ravages too severe, which is 

 often the case in very dry weather. 



Birds. Before I close this article, I must say one word 

 in favor of encouraging and preserving all kinds of birds that 

 frequent the flower garden and shrubbery, and, indeed, there 

 are some of the small domestic kinds that, with a little kind- 

 ness, will even frequent and live in the green-house during 

 the winter. An instance of this kind occurred last winter, in 

 the green-houses of Sayers &, Heaver, of Cincinnati, where 

 one of those little feathered domestics took up its abode, and 

 fed on the apis, or green-fly, and kept the plants perfectly 

 clean during its stay in the winter ; but in the spring, it took 

 leave of its landlords, and the green-fly soon began to appear 

 in their usual numbers. Birds of most kinds that inhabit gar- 

 dens, feed on insects, and should be considered as one of the 

 safeguards against the multitudinous increase of them ; be- 

 sides, they are charming companions to the flower garden, par- 

 ticularly if a little sequestered, where they should be allowed 



