70 



ORCHARD CATERPILLARS. 



this district in very large numbers" ; aud he expressed a hope that by 

 the measures recommended they would be able to keep the pest down. 



With regard — more especially — to the experiments, or rather (we 

 may now say) the successful work, that is being carried on in destruction 

 of orchard caterpillars by spraying with Paris-green, as it is unnecessary 

 to take up space again with a mass of reports on the subject, I merely 

 give a few observations this year from well-known authorities to show 

 that the application is still well-proved to be satisfactory and service- 

 able, tvJtere the directions issued are foUoired ; and also that the appli- 

 cation is being extended usefully to spraying fruit-bushes. 



The following note, which was sent me, on July 14th, by Mr. C. 

 D. Wise, from the Toddington Fruit-grounds, W^inchcombe, Glos., 

 where, it will be remembered, Paris-green spraying was carried on 

 largely in the previous season, it will be observed speaks markedly not 

 only of the good prospect of Plums, but also of the particuhtrhj healthy 

 state of their foliage, which is a most important consideration. 

 Mr. Wise wrote to me as follows: — " We have a wonderful prospect 

 of Plums this season ; our trees are looking particularly healthy in 

 their foliage. What they would have been if we had not taken 

 all the trouble we did to get rid of insect-pests, it would be impossible 

 to say 1 " 



Later on, Mr. Wise sent me the following note, reporting the 

 enormously lessened amount of appearance of Winter Moths this 

 autumn : — " We commenced grease-banding this year on the 5th 

 October, and we have done just the same as last year, using the 

 grease-proof paper and grease free from pungent oils. Putting on the 

 paper and grease costs us about 6d. per 100 trees labour only. We 

 have seen hardly any of the female moths ; in fact, I have not heard 

 of more than six throughout our plantations. This looks as if we had 

 got the upper hand of them at last." 



In these notes we have report of tlie joint good effect of grease- 

 banding at time of moth ascent, and of Paris-green spraying at cater- 

 pillar tuue. In the following observations with which I was favoured 

 by Mr. C. Lee Campbell, of Glewstone Court, near Boss (at my special 

 request, as I was aware he had devoted most careful consideration to 

 the subject), no grease-banding had been used, the successful results 

 were from use of Paris-green. But in each case the ponit is markedly 

 brought forward, which is not enough considered generally, namely, 

 that where preventive or remedial measures are properly carried out, xce have 

 not only benefit at the time, hut the hordes of attackers, hcimj thus enormously 

 lessened, ue have so nuichless to do in the future uith Jiyhtiny their progeny. 

 Mr. Lee Campbell observed : — 



" 1 have nothing to retract as regards 'Paris-green,' and see no 

 reason to change my views as to the proportion to be used, viz., 1 oz. 



