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while in the other they are destroyed in such a way that it is not 
apparent to them, and hence, as the insects do not become abundant 
they cannot be convinced that the birds have prevented it. 
This much disputed question will never be satisfactorily settled until 
it is practically tested; and the only way to do this is for a county 
or several contiguous counties to adopt a bird-law that will effectually 
protect all the birds throughout the entire year, and continue this for 
four or five years until sufficient time has elapsed to see the result. 
This plan and this only, will, as I believe, ever test the matter satis¬ 
factorily. To attempt to kill off a certain species and preserve others, 
is equivolent to devoting ail to destruction, for those that are not 
killed will be driven off. 
Domestic fowls are great aids also in destroying locusts, as they 
are very fond of them; but when we suggest this remedy, it gener¬ 
ally excites a derisive smile, for the thought comes up in the mind 
of the farmer who has his hundreds of acres in cultivation, “What 
can a few chickens do toward destroying the grasshoppers on 160 or 
320 acres of meadow and wheat?” We answer but little, very little. 
Why then do we suggest such remedies? Because the God of Na¬ 
ture has not endowed us with miraculous powers, by which we can, 
with some talismanic word or token, annihilate the insect hordes he 
has allowed to prey upon your crops. We are students of Nature 
and study Nature’s laws, so that by bringing them to light we may 
show you where they have been violated, and how to restore the bal¬ 
ance that Nature adjusted between her creatures and her various 
forces. You mav be able to erect a barrier that will turn the stream 
from your land, but still the waters will flow and beat against the 
barrier and as soon as it is removed or broken down, in they will 
flow upon you. By acting in accordance with the laws that govern 
fluids, as, for example, by opening a new channel you may use the 
natural forces as assistants to keep your land always free from the 
overflow. 
So it is in reference to the laws that govern insect life; if insect 
enemies are destroyed apd the food upon which they live is multiplied 
and massed, as a natural consequence their numbers will be propor-' 
tionally increased. Under these circumstances there will be against 
this evil but two offsets—one is that with their increase it generally 
follows that after a time the true parasites that prey upon them, if 
any, will increase in like proportion—the other consists of such means 
of destruction as man may be able to devise. If the species is not 
subject to the attacks of parasites, as appears to be true of the chinch- 
bug, then man will have to wage a continual warfare with these tiny 
foes. As entomologists, we study the life, history and habits of the 
species, in order to inform the agriculturist the most propitious time 
for, and most effectual means of destroying them. But so long as 
the conditions which cause their increase continue, so long must the 
warfare be carried on. We are led, therefore, to speak of the higher 
law that governs these things, and the more comprehensive and more 
permanent remedy which may be adopted, but with little hope, it is 
true, that it will be put in practice. It is to cut up the large farms 
and fields into smaller ones and introduce a more diversified method 
of farming. I am more and more led to believe that the use of ma¬ 
chinery to the extent that it is now employed in farming is not really 
beneficial, at least to the mass of the people. I do not believe in 
