41 



The agaricus melleus is a whitish filament, which develops itself under 

 the bark of the trunk and roots below the soil line. The same disease is 

 noticed in vines. It is a consumption of the plant. The only remedy, if 

 applied in time, is to excavate the soil, rub off the bark, leaving the 

 affected part exposed to the sun rays for a few days before returning to its 

 place the soil excavated. 



The most damaging of all insects in Italy is the dacus olese, or olive fly, 

 the female of which deposits an egg on each berry. Forty-five days after, 

 the egg develops itself into a larva, which digs a hole in the berry and around 

 the pit. In about thirty days the destruction of the pulp of the fruit is 

 nearly completed. At this period the larva leaves its place, descending to 

 the crevices of the bark of the tree, or in the soil underneath, where it is 

 transformed into a chrysalis. Four weeks after, deprived of its skin, it 

 returns to the open air a perfect insect, provided with wings and organs of 

 reproduction. 



Olives affected by said fly will rancidize the oil in a very short time. 

 Luckily the fruit so damaged is the very first to fall to the ground in 

 shaking the tree, as stated. The new method of pruning and of cultiva- 

 tion, and the picking of the berries as soon as they are ripe, tend also to 

 check the propagation of the damaging fly, for the destruction of which 

 many were the means adopted, but none proved so cheap and effective as 

 insect birds. 



There are other insects more or less damaging to the olive culturist, but 

 birds save his crops; they are his best and most faithful friends wherever 

 protected. Insect pests increase or diminish in proportion to the protection 

 accorded to antiparasitic birds. It is certainly not creditable to man, the 

 fact that he is perhaps the only being who destroys his benefactors. 



You have undoubtedly heard of the case of Frederick the Great of 

 Prussia. His gluttony had gone so far as to fear the cherries of his domin- 

 ions would be all destroyed by sparrow birds. He conceived their destruc- 

 tion. He ordered every farmer to bring at least twelve sparrows yearly to 

 him. It was a big job, but the destruction was far from being accomplished. 

 He then put a premium on every sparrow brought, dead or alive, to his 

 law executors. The destruction was soon complete. The glutton's joy, 

 however, was brief. Insects and worms had invaded fields and orchards, 

 destroying, besides, cherries, fruits, grain, and vegetables of all kinds. 

 The monarch concluded that the exiled birds were wiser than his wrath 

 was, and he called them back and passed laws for their protection. 



Birds of tender beak, such as the woodpecker, the branchpecker, and the 

 blessed cingallegra of Italy, are of immense benefit in orchards. The 

 ancient Romans, in their great pagan wisdom, protected with severe laws 

 insect birds of tender beak. If you put a cingallegra on a fruit tree affected 

 by insects and worms, they will soon disappear, eggs and all. If you watch 

 the little greenish and blackish benefactor in its diligent and rapid opera- 

 tions, no more coal oil, potash, soapsuds, or other washes will trouble your 

 mind and pocket. 



Antiparasitic or insectivorous birds have been tried over and over again 

 in Italy, but never with any degree of satisfaction. Bad insects have been 

 found to be more numerous and of greater fecundity than their enemies. 



The idea that birds propagate fruit diseases and insects in their flight is 

 exceedingly erroneous. The same maybe said as to their damage to fruit. 

 Birds of tender beak should be used, and no other. Birds of this kind 

 resort to fruit eating only when there is no insect food to be had. Excep- 

 tions are not the rule. On the other hand, when a man brings to us a 

 dozen pears, we should be generous enough to allow him to eat one of them. 



