296 KI I N U T E S AUG. 



122, degree difagrecable to them. The merit there- 

 TURXEP fore of the elder-bruih (if it has anvj lies in 



CA 1 ER- 



PILLARS, its effectually fhaking off the caterpillars with- 

 out injuring the plants. 



Bat it appears to me highly probable, that it 

 was the trench, and not the elder, xvhich fared 

 the plants abovementioned. For if Mr. 

 Thomas Shephard, of North-Reps, be accurate 

 in the relation of an experiment which he made 

 twenty years ago (and I have no reafon to doubt 

 his accuracy), brufhingoff the caterpillars is of 

 little ufe. He relates, that he had a two-acre 

 pightle run over witha cart-rope, day and night, 

 uninterruptedly, for fome days, without any de- 

 gree of fuccefs; for, fmall as the piece was, 

 the plants on one fide of it would be covered 

 with caterpillars before the men reached the 

 other lide. Indeed, if we obferve how foon 

 they begin to crawl after being thrown down, 

 and how fail they travel when upon their legs, 

 it feems very probable, that being fhook from 

 the plants they may regain the leaves, fo as to 

 begin feeding again, in five minutes. It feems 

 therefore in vain to expect any eflential benefit 

 from brufhing them off the plants ; for while 

 they have life, they will encounter many dif- 

 ficulties to preferve it. 



But 



