472 ^y GARDEN. 



Our plant-houses are visited by the Cricket, which sings us a 

 cheerful tune in its own peculiar way, that is both exciting and 

 pleasing to the mind. The horticulturist is irritated by the noise, 

 as he knows full well that Mr. Cricket sups after his song, and 

 perhaps selects the tenderest part of the choicest plant. Crickets 

 on the hearth may be joyous enough, but crickets in the plant-houses 

 are creatures of woe to the gardener. They may be poisoned like 

 cockroaches, and they may be also devoured by toads. 



"And crickets sing at th' oven's mouth 

 As the Wither for their drouth." — Shakspeare, Pericles. 



Crickets like the warmest part of the plant-house, just as they frequent 

 the crannies about the stove in the kitchen. 



Out of doors Grasshoppers, of which there are perhaps twenty 

 species, are destructive to the farmer. They are allied to the locust, 

 and are equally destructive. In my garden we have but few. 



The Earwig (Forficula auricularis, fig. 1042) is 

 another creature which is hurtful in gardens. They 

 hide during the day, and come forth at night to 

 feed upon fruit or the tender parts of flowers. 

 F;g. io42.-Earwig. They may be trapped by providing a dark hole, 

 such as a scooped-out potato, in which they seek to hide. 



HEMIPTERA. 



The Fourth order of insects, the Hemiptera, is divided by some 

 authors into Hemiptera and Homoptera, and comprises the Plant-lice 

 and the Mealy Bugs. They have a horny beak for suction, and the 

 perfect insect has four beautiful wings. The larva is like the perfect 

 insect, except that it has no wings. The whole order is the terror of 

 the gardener, as they live by sucking the juices of his plants, and 

 much of his success will depend upon the promptness and vigilance 

 with which he extirpates these pests. 



The Lygus solani (fig. 1043, Nos. 2 and 3 magnified, No. i nat. size) 

 lives on the potato leaf; and the Lygus umhellatarum (fig. 1043, Nos. 4 

 and 5 natural size, and No. 6 magnified) lives on the Umbellatae. 



