410

ENEMIES INJURIOUS TO THE FARMER

and where animalcules abound in the soil *. They are pro-bably, however, more unseemly than injurious, though, whenthey multiply exceedingly, their numbers ought to be thinned.Their unsightly hills on pastures, or grounds intended forhay, are easily spread over the surface in spring, at a verysmall cxpence, and become a species of top-dressing

It is contended that both moles, and the worms on whichthey feed, serve many important purposes in the economy ofnature. They perforate the soil in a thousand directions,■which would otherwise be locked up in an impervious paste,or drowned in a mircy swamp ; and by their means, the ve-getable mould is kept open, and innumerable drains are fur-nished, to lead off', by their declivities, the water which wouldotherwise accumulate near the surface. The soil is likewisethus preserved in a state, admirably calculated for the ex-pansion of the roots of plants J.

In Moray, attempts have been made to destroy a wholecolony of these animals, by smoke arising from an Englishpint or two of tar, mixed with an ounce or two of flour ofsulphur, and made to burn in a piece of any broken iron orearthen pot, in the central pit of any colony of these vermin.The pit is loosclv covered with a board, or old empty bee-hive, so as to admit as much air as will support the fire. Ifcontinued for half an hour, the destruction of that colonywill be accomplished §.

3. Foxes , martins, polecats , $c .—In various parts of Scot-land , owing to the great and increasing extent of the woodsand plantations, foxes, martins, polecats, and wild cats abound,and commit many depredations on the flocks and poultry ofthe farmer. In several districts, fox-hunters, furnished with aproper pack of hounds, are regularly employed, and paid by the

* Ayrshire Report, p. 673. f Berwickshire Report, p. 499.f Stirlingshire Report, p. fJ78.

§ Agricultural Report of Nairn and Moray, p. 440.