96 LEAFAGE CATERPILLARS. 
and another where the drought was of thirty-three days’ duration, 
being from April 17th to May 21st. 
The above notes appear to be of practical interest, as showing that 
together with this remarkable prevalence of leafage caterpillars we 
have had the weather considered to be favourable for this state of 
things, and therefore we might hope that with return to ordinary 
weather the special prevalence would disappear. 
Notes of method of treatment which have been found to answer in 
lessening amount of mischief have been for some years before the 
public in this series of reports, but I repeat some of the recipes to save 
trouble in reference. The two great points that we need to secure if 
possible are, firstly, prevention of infestation being started by egg-laying 
of wingless moths creeping up the trunks of the trees; and secondly, 
remedial measures, such as washings and sprayings, which,—where 
caterpillars do appear, as they often may in quantities, from egg- 
laying of many different kinds of moths,—will poison the leafage food 
of the grubs, or simply do good by washing them off, cleaning down 
the leaves, and helping growth in hot weather by the general applica- 
tion of moisture into and under the tree. 
To prevent the wingless moths ascending the trees, the best treatment 
which is known is what is called ‘“ sticky-banding.” For this, the 
chief points are to use a grease or preparation which will continue 
sticky, but not be moist enough to run down, and also (and this point 
is of vital importance) so to apply it as not to injure the bark and 
underlying tissues of the tree. The safest plan is to band on strips 
of common strong grease-proof paper. This can easily be procured 
at a small cost, and cut in strips of about seven inches wide, or of 
whatever width may be wished. The length may vary or not with 
the size of the tree, for there is no harm in the ends of the strip 
overlying each other. The method of application is for the strip to 
be placed round the tree, and fixed firmly either by being tied securely 
with string passed round near the upper and also the lower edge, or 
by running a band of paste beneath the overlapping end of the paper, 
and thus keeping it fixed safely down on the rest of the paper. On 
this strip the grease may be painted, or it may be smeared on with a 
smooth bit of wood like a paper knife, and thus all or much of the risk 
of grease soaking into the bark be avoided. 
Tar should certainly never be applied to the bark; and, judging from 
a specimen of ‘‘tar-greasing’’ submitted to me, I should say that even 
for use on grease-proof paper that an admixture of tar with the grease, 
or the use of the kinds of ‘‘axle-grease” containing petroleum or 
petroleum residue, would be very unsafe. The mixture of tar-grease 
on grease-proof paper sent me had been very successful in catching 
the male and female moths, but at the date of examination I found 
