WINTER MOTH ; GREASE-BANDING. 1C3 



millions of the wingless moth this season. As many as five 

 hundred have been eomited caught in the band of grease on a 

 single tree. As we have something like 100,000 trees, it has 

 been a great business putting the bands on and keeping them 

 sticky. We have tried many different mixtures, but on the 

 whole I have found cart-grease by itself, put on thick, answers 

 best ; it is cheapest, and I think does no harm to the tree. 

 . . . Where tar has been used, I have found the tree alive up 

 to the place where the band was put on, but above the band 

 dead." And in another letter the late Capt. Corbett (then 

 Manager) further wrote on the same subject: — "Please note 

 I have discarded tar, for I have found instances where, even 

 Nvhen mixed with grease, it has, on drying, formed a tight 

 band round the bark, and destroyed the tree." 



The following valuable observation on the subject of nature 

 of grease or material used for banding, and necessity of pro- 

 tecting live bark from being choked by smears, was also 

 kindly placed in my hands by Mr. J. Masters, of Evesham, 

 Hon. Secretary of the Fruit Insect Conference Experimental 

 Committee : — " It is most important to be guarded in buying 

 grease. Some dealers offer you a cheap article, and it is a 

 vile compound of injurious mixtures. Get a good article, free 

 from tar, if you pay more money for it, is my advice. 



*' I should recommend in all cases where there are young 

 trees, and where the bark of the tree is smooth and tender, 

 that grease-proof paper should be first handed round the tree and 

 the grease piut on the paper. But on old trees where the bark 

 is rough, I do not think that grease {good) would be injurious. 

 Trees should be daubed not later than the middle of October. 

 A good daub should be used, and looked after that it is kept 

 moist and adhesive, otherwise moths will cross over it." — 

 {J. M.) 



These points need very careful attention, for though it is 

 very possible that on old trees (where the thickness of the old 

 bark protects the vital layer of young hark and ivood forming 

 beneath almost as effectually as if a cradle of pieces of cork 

 was fastened round the tree) there may be no damage caused 

 by tarring, this is very different to making use of it on young 

 trees, where, as it has been very well described, it fairly 

 "ivaterjjroofs" the sodden tissues; and I believe myself that 

 tar should not be used on young bark, and in any case should 

 be used with care and caution. 



With regard to cart-grease itself, so far as a regular form 

 €an be given, it appears to be usually compounded of tallow, 

 palm oil and soft-soap, or, what comes to the same thing, 

 tallow, palm oil, and water, and caustic soda. The following 

 notes of the ingredients of some of the mixtures or prepara- 



M 2 



