APRIL.] DESTROYING INSECTS. 229 



irrecoverable, before it be perceived. It often at- 

 tacks the flowers of fruit-trees, as well as the leaves; 

 and is very destructive to roses and other shrubs. 



In the first edition of my Villa Garden Directory, 

 I stated (in a note) a method of destroying cater- 

 pillars by sea-water, as communicated by a person 

 who assured me that it never failed. In that note, 

 I mentioned my determination of having fair trials 

 made, of the efficacy of sea- water in destroying the 

 caterpillar; and accordingly I engaged several friends 

 to make trial of it, in different ways. The most 

 satisfactory experiments were made by Mr Edward 

 Sang, nurseryman at Kirkcaldy, which have led to 

 a discovery, I think, of the highest importance, in 

 the method of destroying caterpillars. Having his 

 permission, I shall here state the process in his own 

 words, as communicated to me, in a letter dated the 

 29th November 1809. 



" I was duly favoured with your letter of the 26th 

 instant, and now copy the result of my experiments 

 for the destruction of the caterpillar, as an answer 

 to it. 



" This season, when my apple, pear, and cherry 

 trees began to expand their leaves, I discovered my 

 old enemies,the caterpillars of phalaena asperana, &c. 

 in great numbers. Agreeably to your hint, I got 

 a quantity of sea-water, some of which I mixed with 

 two-thirds fresh-water, with which I syringed twelve 

 apple-trees ; and a like number with a mixture of 

 equal quantities of sea, and of fresh water. This 

 operation I performed in the evening ; and in about 

 an hour afterwards, I perceived the leaves to be- 



