1 86 May 1749. 



and fmooth between the fpines, fo that a 

 ftranger would take it to be a kind of 

 thorn-bufh, in winter, when it is deftitute 

 of leaves. 



May the 8th. The trees hereabouts 

 were now flocked with innumerable Cater- 

 pillars ; one kind efpecially was obfervable, 

 which is worfe than all the others. They im- 

 mediately formed great white webs, between 

 the branches of the trees, fo that they were 

 perceptible, even at a diftance ; in each of 

 thefe webs were thoufands of Caterpillars, 

 which crept out of them afterwards, and 

 fpread chiefly upon the apple-trees. They 

 confumed the leaves, and often left not 

 one on a whole branch. I was told, that 

 fome years ago they did fo much damage, 

 that the apple-trees and peach-trees hardly 

 bore any fruit at all ; becaufe they had 

 confumed all the leaves, and expofed 

 the naked trees to the intenfe heat of 

 the fun, by which means feveral of the 

 trees died. The people took the following 

 method of killing thefe Caterpillars : They 

 fixed fome ftraw or flax on a pole, fet it on 

 fire, and held it under the webs or nefts ; 

 by which a part was burnt, and a part fell 

 to the ground. However, numbers of the 

 Caterpillars crept up the trees again, which 

 could have been prevented, if they had been 



trod 





