272 WASPS. 



servation was sent me on September 7th by a correspondent 

 regarding amount of presence of Wasps : — " They never were 

 so plentiful in this county as at present ; indeed, the}^ are a 

 nuisance. ... I used to destroy them by screwing paper 

 thus" (here a sketch was given of a piece of paper twisted 

 into a funnel shape), " tarring the outside and thrusting it 

 into their holes, and in the night j)ouring paraffin and setting 

 fire to it." 



The following simple method of dealing with the subject 

 was sent me by a corresiDondent from near Hull : — " Remedij. 

 I always fill an empty cartridge-case with about one part 

 fiour of sulphur to four parts oi" gunpowder, damp slightly, 

 attach a lighted fuse, and place in the hole leading to 

 where the swarm is located ; in ten minutes everyone will 

 be suffocated." 



Independently of special recipes for use by owners or others 

 connected with the matter, the simple expedient of offering a 

 small bonus for each nest destroyed sometimes saves a deal of 

 trouble. In the instance noticed at p. 265 from a locality in 

 Sussex where the Wasp plague was very severe, a sum of 

 sixpence per nest was paid for three hundred and seventy-six 

 nests taken within half a mile of the kitchen garden ; but 

 boys, for the most part, delight in taking Wasps' nests, and 

 probably for a much smaller sum a very thorough clearance 

 could be made. 



Amongst the various applications of which notes were sent, 

 cyanide of potassium appeared the most approved remedy ; 

 but its deadly nature as a poison requires most careful con- 

 sideration. The store of it should always be kept under lock 

 and key ; and whether used dry or in solution, the packet or 

 bottle should always have a large and legible label — " Poison " ; 

 and the application aliould always be entrusted to known, 

 careful hands. 



No method of taking hanfiing Wasps' nests has been given in 

 the preceding notes, and the rough i^ractice of burning the 

 nest (and a portion of the hedge with it) is entirely objection- 

 able. I have often taken them with perfect safety by simply 

 having strong leather gauntlet-topped gloves, with linen tops 

 sewn on to them, down which I could pass my hands, and 

 then had these tops safely tied round over my sleeves between 

 the elbow and wrist. Thus no Wasps could hurt my hands, 

 and my head was defended by a large piece of some kind of 

 muslin or net (strong enough to keep the Wasps out, yet open 

 enough for me to see through) thrown over the top of a quite 

 broad-brinwied hat, so that it hung well down all round, and 

 the lower edge was securely fastened by pins round the 

 shoulders and across the chest. Doubtless a bee-dress would 



