CHAPTER XLIII 



Animal Helpers 



Those animals are helpers that, living with- 

 out care on our part, come to our assistance 

 by the war that they wage on the larvae, 

 insects and other devourers which would 

 take complete possession of our crops if their 

 excessive multiplication were not controlled 

 by others as well as ourselves. What can 

 man do against their hungry hordes renewed 

 every year in numbers that defy all calcula- 

 tion ? Will he have the patience, the skill, 

 or the eye to carry on a successful war against 

 the smaller species, when the cockchafer, 

 despite its larger size, mocks all our efforts ? 

 Can he undertake to examine his fields sod 

 by sod, his wheat ear by ear, or his fruit trees 

 leaf by leaf ? If the human race were to 

 concentrate its whole strength on this one 

 occupation it could not accomplish the tre- 

 mendous work. The devouring brood would 

 devour us unless others were working for 



251 



