278 LETTERS TO PROFESSOR WALLACE [CHAP. xxm. 



the overlapping ends fastened by paste and a band of bass 

 mat or anything of that kind tied round to make sure of all 

 being firm, and on this the " grease " is spread with a thin 

 bit of wood a sort of paper knife in fact. This kind of 

 paper would, I should conjecture, be more certain to 

 prevent the grease, &c., soaking into the tree than cloth. 

 I have lately received copies of analyses of two or three 

 kinds of cart grease which prove (in one case) to consist of 

 grease and tar oils mixed with water and sulphate of lime. 

 This did harm. Another consisted mainly of rosin oil, &c., 

 mixed with a little carbonate of lime. This, I believe, 

 answered quite well. I do not know how better to guard 

 against mishaps than by starting the very earliest intelligence 

 of important points round the newspapers as soon as ever I 

 can ; but you will believe me it is difficult to meet all sides. 

 A Kentish correspondent wrote me that he was preparing 

 his trees for dressing by cutting all the old bark off and then 

 was going to tar on the fresh surface ! If you would 

 mention to your correspondent that my report of this month 

 is in the " Agricultural Gazette "for November i8th, and that 

 he would find some special cautions about grease banding at 

 p. 501, column i, I think he might be interested, but if he 

 cares to write to me on the subject I would gladly reply, or 

 I would with pleasure explain any point to you that you 

 would care to have details of. 



In the second edition of my Manual, which I am doing 

 all I properly can to get time to start through press, I hope 

 to give the very valuable practical teaching of the last two 

 years about orchard insect pest prevention, and I hope to 

 be able to add good results of a special (very cheap and 

 very nasty) kind of fumigation we are going to try next 

 spring. 



P.S. Do you see how the " I.L.N. Almanac has been 

 helping itself to John Curtis' figures and mine and then 

 giving the credit to Mr. Jabez Hogg ? I have had a little 

 representation to make to the editor, and an erratum slip is 

 to be added to all unissued copies. 



January 21, 1890. 



We expect Professor Harker here at the end of the week. 

 Most likely he will come on here after his lecture at the 

 Royal Veterinary College, at 4 p.m. on Friday next, and 

 stay till Saturday, so we can bestow our best attention on 

 affairs. I wish I saw a more hopeful state of things in (or 

 for) the various matters [connected with entomological 

 appointments]. 



