Toads are among the best friends the gardener has; for they live
almost exclusively on the most destructive kinds of vermin. Unsightly,
therefore, though they may be, they should on all accounts be
encouraged; they should never be touched nor molested in any way; on
the contrary, places of shelter should be made for them, to which they
may retire from the burning heat of the sun. If you have none in your
garden, it will be quite worth your while to search for them in your
walks, and bring them home, taking care to handle them tenderly, for
although they have neither the will nor the power to injure you, a
very little rough treatment will injure them; no cucumber or melon
frame should be without one or two.