98 Insects most injurious to Cultivators : — 



every cultivator, that it would be deemed mere waste of words 

 to enter into any argument in proof of the assertion. 



But there are other branches of natural science in the know- 

 ledge of which the cultivator ought not to be deficient. To say 

 that an acquaintance with the leading principles of zoology and 

 of comparative anatomy, at least so far as regards the animals 

 which are more especially the objects of his care, is not almost, if 

 not quite, as requisite as a knowledge of any other of the branches 

 of natural science mentioned above, would be an assertion 

 capable of the easiest disproof. But it is not alone as connected 

 with the horse, ox, or sheep, that a knowledge of the structure 

 and habits of animals is required. There are many creatures, 

 and especially birds, which are greatly serviceable to the farmer, 

 by whom, through ignorance of their habits and good qualities, 

 they are too often destroyed, being mistaken for the authors of 

 mischief. I need not enter into the details of many instances in 

 support of this assertion ; but there is an anecdote so charac- 

 teristically told by Mr. Spence in the work above alluded to, and 

 which so forcibly illustrates this view of the subject, that I am 

 sure it will not be deemed out of place here. The grubs of the 

 cockchafer (Melolontha vulgaris) are very destructive in pas- 

 tures, eating the roots of the grass, and causing it to die. Of 

 these grubs rooks are very fond, and they are too well aware of 

 the dainty treat which awaits them to be far behind the plough : 

 they will also even pull up the dead roots of grass where the 

 larvae harbour, and hence they are mistaken by ignorant persons 

 for the real cause of the mischief, and scarecrows are placed to 

 drive these useful auxiliaries away. To the remonstrances of 

 Mr. Spence against this mode of proceeding, one of these self- 

 willed gentlemen replied that " he could'nt beer to see d'nasty 

 craws pull up all d'gress, and sae he'd set d'bairns to hing up 

 some auld clauts to flay em awey. Gin he'd letten em alean, 

 they'd scan hev reated up all d'close." Let us hope, however, 

 that this state of ignorance is fast dying away. The publication 

 of numerous excellent works, at low prices, has, within a very 

 few years, done wonders in distributing knowledge ; but this is 

 not the only, nor even the chief, good which has resulted from 

 the diffusion of cheap literature. An ardent thirst for knowledge 

 has been produced, which can be allayed only by good and 

 substantial information ; and now, perhaps, more than ever, is 

 the time arrived that the character of the rising generation (may 

 we not even say, the future prosperity of our country?) depends 

 entirely upon the nature of the materials with which this thirst 

 for knowledge is appeased. 



Amongst the benefits resulting from the desire of obtaining 

 useful knowledge, not the least is the uprooting of many, if not all, 

 of those absurd notions respecting the nature of numerous, and 



