OF SELBORN'E. 99 



*'* for years past, was suddenly overspread 

 " on all the woody branches with large 

 <f -lumps of a white fibrous substance re- 

 <e sembling spiders webs, or rather raw 

 *' cotton. It was of a very clammy quality, 

 " sticking fast to every thing that touched 

 " it, and capable of being spun into long 

 " threads. At first I suspected it to be the 

 " product of spiders, but could find none. 

 " Nothing was to be seen connected with 

 " it but many brown oval husky shells, which 

 <( by no means looked like insects, but 

 " rather resembled bits of the dry bark of 

 " the vine. The tree had a plentiful crop 

 " of grapes set, when this pest appeared 

 <c upon it; but the fruit was manifestly 

 " injured by this foul incumbrance. It 

 " remained all the Summer, still increas- 

 " ing, and loaded the woody and bearing 

 " branches to a vast degree. I often pulled 

 " off great quantities by handfuls; but it 

 " was so slimy and tenacious that it could 

 " by no means be cleared. The grapes 

 " never filled to their natural perfection, 

 *' but turned watery and vapid. Upon 

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