On the Destruction of Wasps. 439 



brought to me, and I continue taking the nests late in the 

 season, although the fruit may have been all gathered ; this I 

 in order that fewer female wasps may be left to breed in the 

 next spring. 



The means used by me for destroying the nests are simply 

 these: — I take common gunpowder and water sufficient to make 

 a stiff dough or paste ; a piece of this douo-h about the size of 

 a large walnut rolled in the form of a cone, is sufficient to 

 stifle the wasps in any one nest. The nests being looked for 

 by the men in their over hours, when found they are marked, 

 so as to be more readily found again when it is dark. 



When all things are ready, the men divide their number in 

 parties of three or four; each party being provided with a 

 lantern, candles, spade, pick, as many glass bottles as there 

 are nests to be taken on that night, and a water-pot with 

 some clean water. 



When arrived at one of the nests, fire is set to the smallest 

 end of one of the conical balls of prepared gunpowder, which 

 is held with the hand close into the mouth of the entrance till 

 one third is burned ; the remaining part of the ball is then 

 dropped into the hole, and a piece of turf placed over it to 

 prevent the escape of the smoke. In the space of half a 

 minute after the ball is dropped into the hole, the nest is dug 

 out, and in its stead a glass bottle one third part filled with 

 water is placed upright with the mouth open, and rather 

 below the surface level of the earth, which is carefully made 

 smooth all round the mouth of the bottle. Into these bottles 

 the wasps that happen to be out when the nests are taken 

 enter, and get drowned in the water. In some large nests I 

 have had to empty the bottles and replace them more than 

 once. If bottles are not placed as above, the wasps that 

 happen to be from home at the time the nest is taken (and 

 crushed or worked up in a puddle as directed by your corre- 

 spondents), on their return home finding the nest destroyed, 

 they fly back to the fruit and continue devouring as long as 

 they have life. I do not pay for any nests unless bottles are 

 placed as here stated, and left two days after the nests are 

 taken, and the nests brought home to me, that I may see them 

 crushed. 



I have counted two thousand three hundred wasps, belonging 

 to one nest, drowned in bottles placed as above after the nest 

 was taken ; I therefore am quite certain that taking wasps' 

 nests, without placing bottles as here recommended, is doing 

 only half what ought to be done. 



I am, Sir, &c. James Dall. 



Whnj^ole Gardens, Arrington, Cambridgeshire^ 

 June, 1829. 



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