CHAPTER XXXV 

 THIRD WEEK IN SEPTEMBER 



WASPS are likely to be very troublesome now in the late 

 vinery. The old-fashioned plan of tying up each 

 bunch of grapes separately was not only difficult to 

 manage without spoiling the bloom of the fruit, but often re- 

 sulted in mildew spreading from an injured berry ; and the 

 more modern arrangement by which gauze was stretched over 

 the windows not only failed to guard the door, but also 

 interfered with the necessary ventilation. Now we hang 

 up small pieces of sponge dipped in a strong solution of 

 cyanide of potassium (each sponge depending from a 

 string, about I foot below the grapes), then closing the 

 ventilators, except one at the top of the vinery. Before five 

 minutes have passed every wasp in the place has found out 

 that he has immediate business elsewhere, and departs in a 

 hurry from the one exit, after which the other ventilators 

 can be again opened. But cyanide of potassium is a deadly 

 poison and must be carefully handled, taking care not 

 to leave the solution in the way of children, dogs, or cats, 

 for one sip might be fatal ; and if this plan should be 

 tried in order to drive wasps from preserves, &c., on the 

 table, great care must be exercised that the cyanide does 

 not drip into any eatable, and it is safer to place a sponge 

 in a small basin of solution than to hang it up. Wasps'- 

 nests can be destroyed without difficulty by means of push- 

 ing a piece of wadding soaked in a strong solution of cyanide 

 into the entrance of the nest with the end of a stick, and 

 this should be done as late in the evening as possible, as 

 wasps do not come home at night so early as do bees. 



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