POLICEMEN OF THE GARDEN 185 
ing, of course, because Nature knows how many 
hungry mouths there are for tadpoles. Dr. 
Hodge, in his book Nature Study and Life, says 
that he once took 7,587 eggs from one toad and 
11,545 eggs from another. 
“ Kirkland says that it is the irony of fate that 
large numbers of toads should be killed annually 
by man, who is the one most benefited by their 
lives. Countless young ones are slain by the 
lawn mowers, while the practice of burning over 
lawns and fields kills many more. The heaviest 
wrong, however, is that accomplished by small 
boys, like your grandmother’s brothers, who 
know not the nature of the toad nor its rights. 
“ In England, where snails and slugs are more 
destructive than with us, the gardeners often pro¬ 
tect themselves by founding toad colonies. And 
it seems that a toad farm there might do a thriv¬ 
ing business, twenty-five dollars per hundred and 
even higher being paid for toads for colonizing 
purposes. Greenhouse owners in our country are 
beginning to realize the value of toads in their 
business, as the creatures are death to sow bugs, 
weevils, and rose beetles. I am sure 4 Warty ’ 
here will prove a very valuable addition to our 
rose garden, and no doubt you children can learn 
a great deal more about this policeman of the 
garden by watching him patrol his beat.” 
