April  1,  1897.]  Sapplement  to  the  “ Tropical  AgriculturistT 
733 
lar  species  is  largely  in  direct  relation  to  that 
insect’s  abundance.  Most  of  the  enemies  of  the 
second  class,  however,  coniine  their  attention  to 
one  species  or  to  a few  closely-allied  ,'pecies,  and 
hence  the  abundance  of  a particular  species  of 
insect  is  greatly  influenced  by  the  abundance  of 
these  enemies.  For  a few  years  these  enemies  may 
keep  an  injurious  insect  in  an  almost  complete 
state  of  subjection  ; but,  becoming  over  numerous, 
they  perish  for  want  of  food,  and  the  injurious 
insect  is  left  to  multiply  in  peace,  which  it  cpuck- 
ly  does.  But  its  climax  is  soon  reached,  for  the 
few  enemies  peculiar  to  the  species  which  have 
survived  the  famine  again  find  the  land  abounding 
in  plenty,  and,  responding  to  the  conditions,  they 
in  turn  multiply  and  soon  again  subject  the  plant- 
feeder.  Thus  in  a series  of  years,  in  spite  of  the 
marvellous  fecundity  with  which  Nature  has  pro- 
vided insects,  their  numbers  remain  approximate- 
ly the  same.  The  limits  in  time  of  this  “ rise  and 
fall”  varies  widely  with  respect  to  different  in- 
sects. With  some,  as  with  many  aphides,  only  a 
single  season  is  required ; with  others,  as  with 
many  locusts,  several  years  are  required.  But 
always  Nature  tends  to  preserve  a balance,  and 
under  strictly  natural  conditions  no  insect  long 
remains  superabundant. 
Man,  however,  upsets  these  fine  adjustments  of 
Nature,  He  devotes  immense  areas  of  territory  to 
the  same  food-stuff,  he  cultivates  the  plants,  ren- 
dering them  more  luxuriant,  more  tender  and  suc- 
culent. Thus  the  favours  the  plant-feeding  insect. 
Nature  had  designed  it  to  meet  with  privations,  for 
less  nourishing  food  and  less  bountiful  p70visiou. 
Under  its  new  conditions  the  insect  simply  luxu- 
riates. To  effect  its  perpetuation  it  had  been  en- 
dowed with  wonderful  powers  of  multiplication, 
and  these  are  now  used  to  their  fullest  extent. 
Food  is  now  plenty  ; there  is  room  for  their 
increase.  Many  birds  and  other  small  animals  are 
not  tolerated  by  the  farmer  among  his  crops, 
and  thus  no  small  degree  of  the  check  which 
-Nature  had  provided  to  prevent  an  undue  super- 
abundance of  the  plant-feeding  insect  is  removed. 
The  parasitic  and  predaceous  insect  enemies  re- 
main, it  is  true,  but  these  alone  can  wage  only 
an  unequal  war,  with  the  balance  always  much 
in  favour  of  the  plant-feeder.  For  these  reasons 
the  farmer  must  wage  eternal  war  against  plant- 
feeding  insects. 
Comparatively  few  per.sons  realize  what  an 
immense  variety  of  forms  is  displayed  in  insect 
life.  To  the  average  Colonial  farmer  there  are  a 
few  species  of  locusts,  a few  different  kinds  of 
caterpillars,  some  Hies,  a dozen  or  so  “ bugs”  and 
perhaps  as  many  beetles.  Knowing  so  few  insects, 
he  fails  to  appreciate  the  difficulties  in  the  study 
of  entomology,  and  why,  with  all  the  entomolo- 
gists, so  little  can  often  be  told  him  regarding  a 
particular  insect. 
In  number  of  species,  insects  far  out-number 
all  other  classes  of  animals  combined.  Dr.  C.  V, 
Riley,  late  entomologist  to  the  United  States  De- 
partment of  Agriculture,  published  the  statement 
in  1892  that  ten  million'^  would  in  his  judgment 
be  a moderate  estimate  of  the  number  of  different 
species  of  insects  ! The  vast  majority  of  these  le- 
main  undescribed  and  unnamed.  In  the  United 
States  about  twenty-ffve  thousand  species  have 
been  named  and  described,  and  of  these  Dr.  J.  A. 
Liiitner,  the  New  York  State  Untomologist,  esti- 
mates tliat  at  least  tifteen  thousand  are  injurious, 
and  that  about  half  of  this  number,  or  between 
seven  and  eight  thousand,  may  justly  be  re- 
garded as  pests. 
; To  be  Con  tinued. ) 
REMEDIAL  VALUE  OF  VEGETABLES 
x\ND  FRUIT. 
As])aragns  is  used  to  induce  perspiration. 
Apples  are  useful  in  nervous  dyspepsia  ; they 
are  nutritious,  medicinal,  and  vitalizing  ; they 
aid  digestion,  clear  the  voice,  correct  the  acidity 
of  tlie  stomach,  are  valuable  in  rheumatism, 
in.somnia,  and  liver  troubles.  An  apple  contains 
as  much  nutriment  as  a potato,  in  a pleasanter 
and  more  wholesome  form. 
Bananas  are  n.sefiil  as  a food  for  those  suffer- 
ing from  chronic  diarrluea. 
Blackberries  as  a tonic.  Useful  in  all  forms 
of  diarrluea. 
Cranberries  for  erysipelas  are  used  externally 
as  well  as  internally. 
Carrots  for  sufferers  from  asthma. 
Celery  is  valuable  as  a food  for  those  suffer- 
ing from  any  form  of  rheumatism,  for  diseases 
of  the  nerves,  and  nervous  dyspepsia. 
Fit'S  are  aperient  and  wholesome.  They  are 
said  to  be  valuable  as  a food  for  those  suffering 
from  cancer  ; they  are  used  externally  as  well 
as  internally. 
Fresh  ripe  fruits  are  excellent  for  purifying  the 
blood  and  toning  up  the  system.  As  specilic 
remedies,  oranges  are  aperient.  Sour  oranges 
are  highly  recommended  for  rheumatism. 
Grapes  dilute  thick  blood,  send  the  circulation 
to  the  surface,  remove  obstructions  from  liver 
and  lungs,  and  bring  the  Stomach  to  a healthy 
condition. 
Lemons  for  feverish  thirst  in  sickness,  for 
biliousness,  low  fevers,  rheumatism,  colds,  coughs, 
liver  complaint,  etc. 
Lettuce  is  useful  to  those  suffering  from  in- 
somnia. 
Onions  are  almost  the  best  nervine  known. 
No  medicine  is  so  useful  in  cases  of  nervous  pros- 
tration, and  there  is  nothing  else  that  will  so 
quickly  relie\e  and  tone  u|i  a worn-out  system. 
Onions  are  mseful  in  all  cases  of  coughs,  colds, 
and  iniluenza  ; in  consumption,  insomnia,  hydra 
phobia,  scurvy,  gravel,  and  kindred  liver  com- 
plaints. Eaten  every  other  day  they  soon  have 
a clearing  and  whitening  effect  on  the  complexion. 
Pineapple  juice  will  cut  the  membrane  from 
the  throat  of  a diptheria  patient  when  nothing 
else  will. 
Peanuts  for  indigestion  ; they  are  especially 
recommended  for  corpulent  diabetes.  I’eanuts  are 
made  into  a wholesome  and  nutritious  soup,  are 
browned  and  used  as  coffee,  are  eaten  as  a re- 
lish, simply  baked,  or  are  pre])ared  and  served 
as  salted  almond, s. 
Pie  plant  is  wholesome  and  aperient,  is  ex- 
cellent for  rheumatic  sufferers,  and  useful  for 
purifying  the  blood. 
Spinach  is  useful  to  those  suffering  with  gravel. 
Turnips  for  nervous  disorders  and  for  scurvy. 
Tomatoes  are  a powerful  aperient  for  the  liver, 
a .'■overcigii  remedy  for  dysiiei».sia  and  indigestion 
Watercress  is  a remedy  for  scurvy. 
W atermelon  fur  epilepsy  and  for  yellow  fever. 
