1G8 PLUM. 



is a very good yracticc, because the Winter Moth is considered 

 to lay her eggs by preference towards the ends of the shoots : 

 therefore where these are cut off and burnt, when the chief 

 laying season is over, which might be put about the middle 

 of December, much infestation is got rid of. 



I had a very good note on this subject, on February 6th, 

 1889, from Mr. C. Lee Campbell, of Glewstone Court, Ross. 

 In this, after some observations on attempted measures for 

 checking infestation, he suggested a more effectual remedy — 

 consisting in cutting off the ends of the branches on which 

 the eggs have been deposited, and burning them : — " I have 

 found that an enormous proportion of the eggs are deposited 

 at the end of every branch pruned in the autumn, as much 

 as fifty eggs being found on one branch. At a moderate 

 calculation, my men have thus destroyed some 6,000,000 eggs 

 on 5000 to 6000 Pyramid fruit trees within the past months, 

 in addition to a very large number caught through greasing 

 the stems."— (C. L. C.) 



But now 2)(J8si7ig on to remedies ichicli can he ajrplied to the 

 attack ichen the caterpillars of this and other kinds are ravaging 

 on the trees. 



What we need is a "wholesale treatment " which may be 

 brought to bear at one time on all the kinds of caterpillars 

 alike, whether loopers, or web-nest making caterpillars, " Small 

 Ermines," or " Tortrix," or Lackey caterpillars, or any other 

 of the many kinds of pests which are alike in their habits so 

 far as destroying the leafage of our orchard trees is concerned, 

 and to destroy these surely without injuring the foliage. 



For many years trials were made, in many isolated cases, 

 of various kinds of treatment which it was hoped might be of 

 use in lessening this yearly amount of loss ; but as these 

 experiments were seldom carefully recorded as to details or 

 results, they were of little public benefit. 



Therefore, about the end of February in the year 1890, at 

 a conference of fruit growers held at Evesham, a Committee 

 of Experiment was formed, of gentlemen personally interested 

 in the subject (and also qualified practically, as well as scienti- 

 fically, to superintend experiments in orchard treatment, and 

 report results), in order to try the effect of any kind of sjjrays, 

 Avashes, or other applications which they might judge likely 

 to be effective in destroying the caterpillars on orchard trees 

 without injuring the leafage; and to meet at various different 

 centres from time to time, so that the whole Committee could 

 judge of results of various treatments, and consultation and 

 detailed reports of the method of treatment respectively take 

 place, or be given by the members. 



