THE GREEN BEETLE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2172, 16 December 1885, Page 2

THE GREEN BEETLE.

To the Editor,

Sir.—l read an article in the Daily a few days ago relative to the green bug pest, Kindly allow me space to Bay a few wordß on the subject. Some fi /e or six weeks ago I was out in ray orchard, about noon, It was a warm day, but there waß a good breeze blowing from the hills, and I could hear something pattering against the leaves of the trees, nnd feel it against my face, which proved to be a slight shower of green bugs. I thought to myself there would be very few leaves left on the trees in a day or two at the rate the bugs were coming. 1 did not observe the trees particularly for a few days, but I noticed the sparrows wero going from tree to tree in considerable niirabers, Iti about a week I made a careful examination of a number of trees, and there, was scarcely a bug to be found. I decided to have a look at my neighbor's trees, some two or three hundred yards distant-, somo of which I found to be nearly stripped of their leaves, but before many days the sparrows started on them, and now there are very few green bugs to be seen where before, on a hot sunny day, they were as thick as a swarm of bees, 1 think it must be admitted that the much abused sparrow has at least one good trait in his character, and he is not so bad as Borne people aver. But yet, perhaps, his bad qualities outweigh his good ones, and if so, would it not be possible to improve his breed, or to introduce some_ other birds that possess his good qualities, but not his bad ones. I believe the harmless little English hedge sparrow, and starling, if jntroijucecl in large numbers, would destroy a great quantity of insects and their eggs, thereby lending great assistance to fruit growers and farmers, benefiting the Lords of '(Creation to a greater extent than what they usually give give such little workers credit for, In the meantime I shall carefully allow the house sparrow to steal a few grains of wheat from my fowls if they in return will keep the green bugs in subjection. . I am, &c., J. C. Alpass.