CAT 



CAT 



They deposit their ova on the Icavc^, and in the 

 crcviees of the bark of the trees, from which 

 nuw insects are generated during the summer 

 months. Mr. Hit supposes some of them to 

 remain in these siiuaiiuns during the \\inti.r; 

 having found ilicm in nail-holes and under 

 pieces of old bark in IVbruary. The last sort is 

 generated in the middle of the inclosed ka\es 

 of ditierent sorts of plants, such as those of 

 the Cabbage. Brocoli, and other similar kinds. 

 These proJuce much mischief by eating through 

 the stems and other parts of the plants. 



Doctor Darwin ouserves that there are two 

 breeds of these insects in the year, the /.7rca»of 

 the first devouring the spring leaves, and those 

 of the second the sunnner shoots. 



Various methods have been attempted for de- 

 stroying the different sorts of caterpillars, both 

 such as are destructive to esculent plants and to 

 treciof the fruit kinds. With the lirst, much ad- 

 vantasc may be gained by careful attention in 

 picking them oft'lrom the leaves or other parts of 

 the plants on their first appearance. The beds 

 or other places where the vegetables grow should 

 also be carefullv examined early in the mornings, 

 in order to destrov them before thev retire into 

 the holes and crevices that conceal them during 

 the day-time. And as they are in ccin;ral the 

 most prevalent when the weather is dn,-, it seems 

 not improbable but that considerable benefit 

 may be obtained by watering the plants fre- 

 quently, both with common water, and such 

 liquids as contain ammonia or volatile alkali, 

 cither from the eflVcts of such wattrmgs on the 

 caterpillars themselves, or from their promoting 

 the growth of the plants in so vigorous and rapid 

 a manner as to render them incapable of being 

 devoured by them. 



Mr. Forsvth advises, that during the winter 

 and spring months, ever\- chrijudis that can be 

 discovered, either under the copings of walls, on 

 gates, or palings, and about the eaves, doors 

 and winuows of houses, should be completely 

 removed and destroyed. 



W here caterpillars abound, all the leaves that 

 are affected should be removed with care, and 

 swept up in order to be destroyed by fire, or 

 formed into a compost with other substances. 



The ten-threaded caterpillar is eagerly souaht 

 after by bird.-;, and is c.ipable of being easily de- 

 stroyed; but, when neglected, the ova are de- 

 posited in great abundance in the latter part of 

 summer, as about July, on the undersides of the 

 leaves, in rows, with litile while sp-.-cks, and 

 quickly hatched on account of the heat of the 

 season, the yoi.ng c:'.erpillars cominij forth in 

 swarms to destroy the autumnal leaves. At 



this season ihcy may be picked off"il)e iuforted 

 leaves, and their generation be by that means pre- 

 vented. 



Buslies or plants that are much affixled with 

 cattrpiilars < ne year, arc extremely liable to be 

 attacked with ihem afterwards. 



In llie Second case, or w ilh fruit-trees, " the 

 best method of preventing them from beinu; in- 

 fested is, according to Mr. Forsyth, tu scrape the 

 stems with a piece of bone or wood made in 

 the form of a knife, taking care not to bruise 

 the bark ; and aflerw 'rds to wash the tree 

 and wall with an equal quantity of soap-suds 

 and urine mixed;' and " as soon as the 

 leaves are oft' the trees in autumn, they should 

 be raked and swept up; then carried to the 

 melon-ground, and mi.<ed up w itli other leaves 

 and dung for hot-beds:" by this means a jrreat 

 number of eggs of insects that are depolited 

 on tiie under-sides of the leaves may be trot 

 rid of. Afterwards all llie stems of tlie trc-cs, 

 and all the ends of the buds, should be wash- 

 ed, taking care not to hurt the buds: *' in 

 doing this, it is observed, that what falls will 

 destroy the slugs that take shelter on the ofl'set 

 of the wall and in the borders, before thev are 

 dug for planting lettuce, endive, &c. This 

 washing should Ge repeated about the besrinning 

 of February, which will destroy anv eggs oi 

 different insects that may still remain about the 

 trees. A painter's brush may be used for layino- 

 the mixture on the trees, and a soft broom, or 

 a brush made of the ends of garden mattincr, 

 for washing the wall. The mattinu seems pre- 

 ferable, as, being soft and flexible,~it will enter 

 tile holes and crevices." And " the mixture 

 that falls on the border and offset of the wall, 

 in this second washing, will destroy those slues 

 and insects that made their appearance earlv. 

 The stems and branches of the trees may be 

 washed two or three times, or oftener, in the 

 spring, before the buds begin to swell ; but the 

 branches must not be rul)bed after the trees come 

 into flower; thev mav, however, be sprinkled 

 over with the mixture from a watering-pot with 

 a rose just before the buds begin to open, hut 

 by no means after they are open; as it will, by 

 its glutinous nature, render the bloom liable to 

 be scorched by the sun." These washings. Sec. 

 are recommended " for all trees, standards as 

 well as those on walls ; particularly apple, 

 cherry, and plum-trees." Where anv cater- 

 pillars remain, they may " be discovered bv 

 the curling of the leaves; for every curled leaf 

 has one or more cater|)illar, or other insect, in 

 it: such leaves should therefore be carefully 

 pulled off", and the insects crushed; as, when 

 2 I 



