330 [ASSEMBLF 



may learn from these the best means of resisting such an enemy, 

 and crushing him before he becomes too powerful, or at least 

 diminishing his numbers to such a degree as to render the mis- 

 chief he does comparatively trifling. 



We will here refer to recent works of two or three distinguished 

 entomologists of France, and cite a few facts and references there- 

 from, to show more strongly the destructive character of insects. 

 M. Delamane states that France is distinguished alike for the 

 miseries of her revolutions and the ravages of her insects. In a 

 year (he says) they destroy as much as all the French eat in five 

 weeks, and two species alone devour annually more than three 

 millions of men. If the corn destroyed by insects every year in 

 France were placed upon single horse carts, the string would be 

 as long as a tenth of the circumferce of the globe. A little cole- 

 optera, or shield wing of the kind, called curculio by Linnseus. 

 stands pre-eminent among the destroyers of the vegetable food of 

 man. Sometimes all the grain in a granary is devoured by this 

 insect, and nothing left but the chafif; it is most tenacious of life. 

 It has been known to live and multiply several years under a 

 coating of mastic and plaster, by which the farmer flattered him- 

 self he had rid his barn or granary of them f )rever. This insect, 

 with several others, these authors state, destroy more grain when 

 housed or stored than they do in the field. These enemies of man 

 have been hitherto combated m three ways : by lowering the 

 temperature of granaries; by tijrning the corn, and by strong 

 odors. They dislike the smell of ammoniacal salts. Saperda 

 tenuis is another coleoptera, or shield wing, which destroys the 

 corn. M. Marquart and M. Germarhave described several other 

 beetles wliich injure corn; one, the Zabrus gibbus, which con- 

 ceals itself in the earth during the day, and comes forth in the 

 night to eat barley and wheat. The Elater (agrilus) segetis is 

 noticed, its larvae are long, straight, yellowish and hard. They 

 run under ground, and by eating the roots destroy the plants, and 

 do great damage. A kind of cake called des tourteaux de cajiieline, 

 pounded into powder and scattered upon fields where they appear, 

 is said to protect corn from their ravages. This insect ought also 

 to be attacked in its winged state, and before it has time to lay i's 



