INSECTS. 459 



general and extensive devastation in our orchards, and 

 especially in certain seasons. The moth deposits its eggs 

 in July, in large rings, on the branches of the trees ; 

 these remain in that state until the following season, when 

 they are hatched in the latter end of May or beginning of 

 June. Each ring produces three or four hundred cater- 

 pillars, and these weave a sort of web to live in. The 

 appearance of a tree with three or four of these tents upon 

 it, and the leaves completely devoured, is really frightful. 

 There are two ways of destroying them : one is, to examine 

 the trees carefully in February or March, at pruning time, 

 and destroy the clusters of eggs by cutting off and burn- 

 ing the branches on which they are found. The next is 

 to destroy the caterpillars in their tents after they are 

 hatched. There are various ways of doing this, according 

 to people's fancy and ingenuity. The quickest and most 

 effectual method is to take a ladder, ascend the trees, and 

 remove every nest with the hands. The early morning 

 should be chosen, when they are in the nests. Some put 

 a round brush on a pole and put it in the nests, and by 

 giving it a few turns web and all are removed. 



There is another caterpillar, Datana ministry which is 

 a yellow brown in color, and feeds in clusters side by side, 

 fairly stripping branch after branch completely of its 

 foliage. Watchfulness and immediate destruction on 

 sight are the only known remedies. Their season of de- 

 structive labor is in August and September. 



The Cherry and Pear Slug. This is a most destruc- 

 tive insect. They appear in June and July for the first, 

 and a second brood afterwards, small, slimy, dark-brown 

 slugs on the upper surfaces of the leaves of the cherry 

 and pear. They devour greedily the parenchyma of the 

 leaves, leaving only the bare network of veins. In a 

 short time growth is completely stopped. 



Stocks for budding require careful watching, for a day 

 or two of these slugs may prevent them from being worked 



