47 



moist weather is certainly more favourable 

 for it. 



f I next inquired whence the vermin pro- 

 ceeded. By observing that the blossom 

 nearest*tJ) trunk and large branches was 

 first attacked, I concluded that the vermin 

 came from the tree itself. I was farther 

 confirmed in this opinion by observing that 

 the old trees were more infested than the 

 young, and that all the trees were first and 

 most infested nearest the root, where the 

 bark was most cracked and rent. 



In putting it to the test, I found it put 

 beyond all manner of doubt : for, in per- 

 forming the operation of peeling, I discov- 

 ered thousands of the ova of these insects, 

 which, as appears by a miscroscope, are a 



