322 Ob servatio7is on the Pea Fly, csV. 



the fruit trees on the sea coast and brackish water, were 

 free from the ravages of this destructive insect ; this 

 suggested to me an idea, that the saUne vapours were 

 pernicious to them, and hence I imagined, that if wc 

 were to go to the trifling expence of showering our 

 choicest fruit trees with a weak sohition of common sea 

 sah, once or twice a week, it might answer the same 

 end of preserving the fruit, and by persevering farther 

 in a httle more expence, in extending the same care to 

 our orchards, we might in a few years expel them. 

 But this is only a conjecture, having never made the 

 experiment. 



[January 1808. The foregoing paper being found 

 among the papers of the society, was sent to Mr. Bar- 

 tram for the purpose of revision, and to enable him to 

 add such additional facts, as might have occurred to 

 him. He returned it with the following note.] 



" I have nothing more to add, but that the spring 

 following, I put the experiment of showering a plum 

 tree on tryal, with a weak solution of sea salt dissolved 

 in water, but being too strong of salt, most of the leaves 

 and fruit fell off in consequence of it, otherwise the ex- 

 periment might have produced the desired effect, as 

 what fruit remained were not touched by the insect, 

 though small and disfigured by the strength of the brine; 

 yet a few arrived to their natural size and ripened, so 

 that I am induced to believe, that with cai'e in temper- 

 ing the solution, it will be found to be the best and 

 cheapest remedy against the ravages and encrease of 

 those pernicious insects yet discovered. It should be 

 so weak as just to taste of salt. 



