FERN FOES, AND HOW TO FIGHT THEM. 
63 
its presence by a few tiny boles bere and there in tbe best 
fronds of our pet plants — tiny boles to-day, so tiny, indeed, 
tbat tbey escape our notice, as also, of course, do tbe tiny, 
wriggling little wretches under tbe fronds, who are just 
beginning to whet their baby teeth. Next day tbe boles are 
tolerably large — our pet Fern is spoilt, and so is tbat special 
batch of caterpillars. Butterflies and moths are, however, in 
one respect, models of foresight: tbey never put all their 
eggs in one basket — their progeny, also, generally scatter soon 
after hatching; hence, in the most carefully-watched Fernery, 
a series of such discoveries as above may be expected, since 
it is only by the damage done that the foe is discovered. 
With constant personal care, however, the evil may not go 
far; but go out of town for a week or two, leave somebody 
else in charge, and the caterpillar gets his chance, evolution, 
in his opinion, having doubtless arranged autumnal holidays 
with a view to his continued existence. When you return, it 
is possible that you will find a choice collection of rags and 
tatters of dilapidated Fern fronds, and a fine, fat army of 
full-sized, green caterpillars roosting upon the ruins, and 
busily grinding up the remnants into future butterflies, your 
pet plants resembling precisely Paddy’s old coat — i.e., composed 
principally of fresh air. The caterpillar, in fact, begins dinner 
when he is hatched, and finishes it when he turns himself 
into a chrysalis, his only pause being when his garments 
grow too tight, and he has to throw them off and don a 
larger suit to accommodate the remaining courses of his 
banquet. From the above it will be gathered that prevention 
is better than cure, and that all care should be taken to 
exclude moths and butterflies, or to destroy them immediately 
they appear. 
Woodlice should be kept under, for though they feed prin- 
cipally on dead matter, they occasionally transgress, and punish 
some of the smaller-growing Ferns. 
The foregoing are the chief enemies to the attacks of which 
healthy British Ferns are subjected; with ordinary care they 
can easily be kept under, while, under many conditions — such 
as in dwelling-houses — they are rarely seen. 
