240 OAK. 



attack made on them by the Common Rooks and the Black- 

 headed Sea Gulls, scarcely a tree would have escaped them. 



Where circumstances allow of drenchings, either of the 

 soft-soap or other washes commonly used, being thrown at 

 infested trees, this would do much good ; if the caterpillars are 

 still present the operation would clear many ; or if the 

 attack was passing away the drenching down of the tree would 

 clear off much that would have started new attack presently ; 

 and also the treatment is of great use in rapidly restoring the 

 foliage, and thus reducing the amount of injury caused by the 

 attack. 



In June, 1885, by request of Sir H. Verney, of Claydon 

 Park, Winslow, Bucks, I examined some of the fine old 

 Oaks near Claydon House, which had been suffering from 

 severe infestation of the T. viridana, and as on one of these 

 (for special reasons) it was wished to restore the foliage as 

 soon as possible, I advised thoroughly washing down the tree 

 by means of the house fire-engine, throwing the water not 

 broadcast amongst the boughs so as to tear or bruise any 

 young leafage that was beginning to appear, but sending it 

 directly at the trunk and large boughs. In this way the 

 stream of water was thrown about in spray among the twigs, 

 and thoroughly moistened every part, whilst the stream 

 directed against the trunk cleaned out much of the insect- 

 vermin that might be present, and the ground beneath the 

 tree was thus so well moistened as to help the coming growth 

 greatly. 



A few weeks after the experiment, Mr. Sharp (the head 

 gardener at Claydon Park) reported that : — " Through the 

 soaking which we gave, the tree has recovered its foliage won- 

 derfully. On all the parts on which we were able to play, the 

 Aphides and all other insects, as far as I can discern, are 

 cleared off, and I have no hesitation in saying that it is the 

 right thing to do where trees are attacked, a fire engine kept, 

 and water at command." 



On the 20th of August Mr. Sharp further reported that it 

 was wonderful to see how well the tree was then furnished 

 with leaves. 



Of course water supply, and means of throwing drenchings 

 or spray, are not always at hand, — neither could such applica- 

 tion be carried out in woods or forests; still there are cases in 

 which the principle might be brought to bear, and the circum- 

 stance of destruction of moth-caterpillars by sudden wet as 

 recorded by Curtis, in his 'Farm Insects,' many years ago ; and 

 more recently by Mr. E. A. Fitch, late Sec. of the Entomolo- 

 gical Society of London, on occasion of the great appearance of 

 the Pliisia gamma, the Silver- Y or Beet Moth, in Essex in 



