OF SELBORNE. 99 



*^Tor years past, was suddenly overspread 

 " on all the woody branches with large 

 ^' lumps of a white fibrous substance re- 

 *' sembling spiders webs, or rather raw 

 ** cotton. It was of a very clammy quality, 

 *' sticking fast to every thing that touched 

 f* it, and capable of being spun into long 

 ** threads. At first I suspected it to be the 

 " product of spiders, but could find none. 

 *' Nothing was to be seen connected with 

 " it but many ^roMJ/i oval huski/ shells, which 

 *' by no means looked like insects, but 

 '* rather resembled bits of the dry bark of 

 " the vine. The tree had a plentiful crop 

 ** of grapes set, when this pest appeared 

 " upon it ; but the fruit was manifestly 

 ** injured by this foul incumbrance. It 

 *' remained all the Summer, still increas- 

 *' ing^ and loaded the woody and bearing 

 ** branches to a vast degree. I often pulled 

 ^f off great quantities by handfuls ; but it 

 *' was so slimy and tenacious that it could 

 *' by no means he cleared. The grapes 

 *' never filled to their natural perfection, 

 :** biat turned watery and vapid. Upon 

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