C A T 



CAT 



They deposit their ova on the leaves, and in the 

 crevices of the bark of the trees, from which 

 new insects are generated during the summer 

 months. Mr. Hit supposes some of them to 

 remain in these situations during the winter; 

 having found them in nail-holes and under 

 pieces of old bark in February. The last sort is 

 generated in the middle of the inclosed leaves 

 of different sorts of plants, such as those of 

 the Cabbage, Brocoli, and other similar kinds. 

 These produce much mischief by eating through 

 the stems and other parts of the plants. 



Doctor Darwin observes that there are two 

 breeds of these insects in the year, the larvceoi 

 the first devouring the spring leaves, and those 

 of the second the summer shoots. 



Various methods have been attempted for de- 

 stroying the different sorts of caterpillars, both 

 such as are destructive to esculent plants and to 

 trees of the fruit kinds. With the first, much ad- 

 vantage may be gained by careful attention in 

 picking them off from the leaves or other parts of 

 the plants on their first appearance. The beds 

 or other places where the vegetables grow should 

 also be carefully examined early in the mornings, 

 in order to destroy them before they retire into 

 the holes and crevices that conceal them during 

 the day-time. And as they are in general the 

 most prevalent when the weather is dry, it seems 

 not improbable but that considerable benefit 

 may be obtained by watering the plants fre- 

 quently, both with common water, and such 

 liquids as contain ammonia or volatile alkali, 

 either from the effects of such waterings on the 

 caterpillars themselves, or from their promoting 

 the growth of the plants in so vigorous and rapid 

 a manner as to render them incapable of being 

 devoured by them. 



Mr. Forsyth advises, that during the winter 

 and spring months, every chrysalis that can be 

 discovered, either under the copings of walls, on 

 gates, or palings, and about the caves, doors 

 and windows of houses, should be completely 

 removed and destroyed. 



Where caterpillars abound, all the leaves that 

 are affected should be removed with care, and 

 swept up in order to be destroyed by fire, or 

 formed into a compost with other substances. 



The ten-threaded Caterpillar is eagerly sought 

 after by birds, and is capable of being easily de- 

 stroyed; but, when neglected, the ova are de- 

 posited in great abundance in the latter part of 

 summer, as about July, on the undersides of the 

 leaves, in rows, with little white specks, and 

 quickly hatched on account of the heat of the 

 season, the young caterpillars coming forth in 

 swarms to destrov the autumnal leaves. At 



this season they may be picked off the infected 

 leaves, and their generation be by that means pre- 

 vented. 



Bushes or plants that are much affected with 

 caterpillars one year, are extremely liable to be 

 attacked with them afterwards. 



In the second case, or with fruit-trees, " the 

 best method of preventing them from being in- 

 fested is, according to Mr. Forsyth, to scrape the 

 stems with a piece of bone or wood made in 

 the form of a knife, taking care not to bruise 

 the bark ; and afterwards to wash the tree 

 and wall with an equal quantity of soap-suds 

 and urine mixed;" and " as soon as the 

 leaves are off the trees in autumn, they should 

 be raked and swept up; then carried to the 

 melon-ground, and mixed up with other leaves 

 and dung for hot-beds:" by this means a great" 

 number of eggs of insects that are deposited 

 on the under-sides of the leaves may be got 

 rid of. Afterwards all the stems of the trees, 

 and all the ends of the buds, should be wash- 

 ed, taking care not to hurt the buds: " in 

 doing this, it is observed, that what falls will 

 destroy the slugs that take shelter on the offset 

 of the wall and in the borders, before they are 

 dug for planting lettuce, endive, &c. This 

 washing should be repeated about the beginning 

 of February, which will destroy any eggs of 

 different insects that may still remain about the 

 trees. A painter's brush may be used for laying 

 the mixture on the trees, and a soft broom, or 

 a brush made of the ends of garden matting, 

 for washing the wall. The matting seems pre- 

 ferable, as, being soft and flexible, it will enter 

 the holes and crevices." And " the mixture 

 that falls on the border and offset of the wall, 

 in this second washing, will destroy those sluos 

 and insects that made their appearance early. 

 The stems and branches of the trees may be 

 washed two or three times, or oftener, in the 

 spring, before the buds begin to swell ; but the 

 branches must not be rubbed after the trees come 

 into flower; they may, however, be sprinkled 

 over with the mixture from a watering-pot with 

 a rose just before the buds begin to open, but 

 by no means after they are open; as it will, by 

 its glutinous nature, render the bloom liable to 

 be scorched by the sun." These washings, Sec. 

 are recommended " for all trees, standards as 

 well as those on walls; particularly apple, 

 cherry, and plum-trees." Where any cater- 

 pillars remain, they may " be discovered by 

 the curling of the leaves; for every curled leaf 

 has one or more caterpillar, or other insect, in 

 it: such leaves should therefore be carefully 

 pulled oft", and the insects crushed; as, when 

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