66 ORCHARD CATERPILLARS. 
was found to be by no means wholly successful, and on application 
being made to Mr. J. Fletcher, Entomologist to the Dominion Experi- 
mental Farms of the Department of Agriculture of Canada, he suggested 
the use of spraying with Paris-green, as being decidedly the most 
successful treatment known for stopping ravages of the caterpillars of 
the Winter Moth. 
Consequently on this, a Committee of Experiment was formed early 
in the following year at Evesham, composed of leading men,—fruit- 
growers, landowners, and others of that great fruit-growing district,— 
in order by trials, joint examination of results at the meetings of the 
Committee on the fruit-grounds of the members, and publication of 
results (successful or otherwise), with causes duly noted, that we might 
have well-proved information as to trustworthy treatment.* 
Taking first the subject of banding. We found that tar (an old 
standing method of prevention) was wholly objectionable by reason of 
it soaking into the bark of any of the trees not old enough for the bark 
to be a mere rugged dead mass externally, and thus doing serious or 
fatal damage. 
In regard to grease or sticky banding, we found that, though not 
so dangerous as tar, if spread on the bark without care as to amount, 
composition, and also the age of the bark, it was lable to do harm, 
varying in amount up to killing the trees. Therefore the plan of pro- 
tecting the part over which the grease was to be applied by a band of 
grease-proof paper was arranged, this band of paper being tied round 
with a string at the upper and lower edges, and the grease smeared 
on to it. 
Enquiries are frequently sent me as to what kind of cart-grease 
should be used; but from the vast number of kinds of cart-grease or 
axle-grease it is almost impossible to single out any one kind for 
special use. So far as any regular formula can be given for common 
cart-grease, it appears to be usually made of tallow, palm-oil, and 
soft-soap ; another kind is mainly of rosin-oil, with apparently a little 
rosin, and also a little carbonate of lime; yet another useful kind, 
known as I’razer’s axle-grease, is of rosin-oil saponified with a solution 
of Sal-soda in water and softened lime. These may be taken as types 
* Details will be found in my Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Annual 
Reports. In the first-named, besides other information, under the head of ‘‘ Orchard 
Insects,” will be found some special observations on sticky banding. The second- 
named (that for 1890, in which the Experimental Committee of Fruit-growers was 
formed) enters more particularly on details of our work in regard to introduction of 
use of Paris-green; and in the Report for 1891 are further notes, and directions for 
the use of Paris-green; and also some observations on mixture of soap and Paris- 
green, with which I was favoured, at my request, by Dr. J. Aug. Voelcker, Consulting 
Chemist of the Royal Agricultural Society of England; and notes of experiment by 
Mr. Frank T. Shutt, Chemist to the Experimental Farms of the Department of 
Agriculture of Canada, 
