340 PLUM. 



the least ; I have then used a mixture of cart grease and soft- 

 soap, mixed to the required consistency with train oil, and 

 laid on to the bands with ordinary paint-brushes ; this was 

 done by October 16th, and they have been served in the same 

 way every week since, so as to keep them always sticky. . . . 

 We have caught some thousands of both the males and 

 females (which seem to keep together) of the Cheimatohia, a 

 few of a much larger sort of moth, also wingless or nearly so 

 (probably Mottled Umber. — Ed.), but these latter are not in 

 any quantity here ; I may add that in very few cases have any 

 of the moths got as far up as the middle of the band, and I 

 am fairly satisfied that we have caught all that had attempted 

 to ascend. This mode is a little trouble and expense, but the 

 latter does not exceed twopence per tree, even on full-grown 

 trees, which most of mine are, many being very large ones, 

 and this is a very trifling outlay, if a crop can be saved by 

 this means."— (E. E. C.) 



It is of great im])ortancc to begin the grease-handing in good 

 time. 



Captain Corbett reported to me from Toddington Fruit- 

 grounds, from the experience of some of the foremen who 

 had given special attention to date of banding, that " all trees 

 greased before Oct. 17th were nearly free from caterpillar. 

 Those not greased until Oct. 17th were infested with cater- 

 pillar." As a help to know when the moths might be ex- 

 pected to appear, Captain Corbett further noted : — "I would 

 just add that another foreman kept some chrysalids of the 

 Winter Moth in a box last autumn, and on the first moth 

 coming out he put the band of grease round his trees. His 

 trees are for the most part thickly laden with Plums." 



Taking various reports sent me, it appeared that presence 

 of wingless moths was observed at different dates from 

 October 11th to November 19th, at which time the Winter 

 Moths were still going up the trees in large numbers ; there- 

 fore during this period, and as long as examination shows 

 that moths are still being captured, care should be taken that 

 all the bands are soft and sticky. 



Stakes and tree-guards need, attention. — Where young trees 

 are fastened to stakes, something of course must be done to 

 stop traffic up these poles or stakes and thence to the trees ; 

 and where bundles of rough sticks are tied round the stems 

 to prevent these being gnawed by animals, these guards will 

 also probably be a most fertile source of caterpillar-attack at 

 hatching-time in spring, unless well looked to. Eor stopping 

 traffic up the guards or stakes tar would do very well, but it 

 would be difficult to apply any treatment that would not be very 

 troublesome to the bundles of sticks. In such cases, banding 



