INSECTS. 335 



mended, as it exposes the worms to the birds, and to the 

 weather, but especially because it destroys the vegetation 

 upon which they might subsist in the early spring. The 

 only safe way, is to watch their traces among our plants, 

 and dig down beside them, find the worm, and destroy it. 

 Though this does not restore the plant already killed, we 

 prevent further damage, and may hope to thus diminish 

 the pest in future years, which is no small matter. A 

 knowledge of their nocturnal habits has induced some 

 gardeners to go among their young plants with a lamp or 

 candle at night, when they may find the caterpillars feed- 

 ing. A few choice plants may be protected by wrapping 

 their stems with a strip of paper, or a stout leaf, (hickory), 

 at the time of transplanting into infested grounds ; this 

 will save them. Tobacco water has been found very ef- 

 fective, applied to the plants, which it does not injure. . 



Mamestra arctica, (Hadena arnica, of Harris, and H. 

 amputatrix, of Fitch), is a Cut-worm of a brownish color, 

 about one and a half inch long. It is sometimes quite 

 destructive in the nursery and garden, ascending woody 

 plants, and cutting them off where succulent, in the month 

 of May. It can only be checked by seeking for it, in the 

 soil, near the base of the plants affected. 



All these Cut-worms are eaten by birds, among which 

 the crow is a valuable aid to the farmer, and should be 

 cherished for his services instead of being condemned as 

 a bird of ill-omen. Predacious insects also consume num- 

 bers of them ; one of these is the larva of a beetle, Har- 

 palus calaginosus. A large Ichneumon-fly has been 

 found hunting after the worms, and is considered their 

 natural enemy. 



