APRIL.] DESTROYING INSECTS. ^29 



irrecoverable, before it be perceived. It often at- 

 tacks the flowers of fruit-trees, as well as the leaves; 

 and is very destructive to roses and other slirubs. 



In the first edition of my Villa Garden Directory, 

 I stated (in a note) a method of destroying cater- 

 pillars by sea-water, as communicated by a person, 

 who assured me that it never failed. In that note, 

 I mentioned my determination of having fair trials 

 made, of the efficacy of sea-water in destroying 

 the caterpillar; and accordingly, I engaged several 

 friends to make trial of it, in different ways. The 

 most satisfactory experiments were made by Mr Ed- 

 ward Sang, nurseryman at Kirkaldy, which have led 

 to a discovery, I think, of the highest importance, 

 in the method of destroying caterpillars. Having 

 his permission, I shall here state the process in his 

 own words, as communicated to me, in a letter dat- 

 ed the 29th November 1809. 



" I was duly favoured with your letter of the 26th 

 instant, and now copy the result of my experiments 

 for the destruction of the caterpillar, as an answer 

 to it. • 



" This season, when my apple, pear, and cherry 

 trees began to expand their leaves, I discovered my 

 old enemies, the caterpillars of phalasna, asperana, &c. 

 in great numbers. Agreeably to your hint, I got 

 a quantity of sea-water, some of which I mixed with 

 two-thirds fresh water, with which I syringed twelve 

 apple-trees ; and a like number with a mixture of 

 equal quantities of sea, and of fresh water. This 

 operation I performed in the evening; and in about 

 an hour afterwards, I perceived the leaves to be- 



