128 WASPS. 



a far more noticeable feature than the number of nests, was the great 

 strength (in number of Wasps) of each, the average size being larger 

 than I have ever known before. 



" We made a great onslaught on them in June ; most people using 

 cyanide of potassium, which I have myself used successfully for years. 

 At one time they were certainly quite a plague. A large quantity of fruit 

 of all sorts was destroyed by them, and few people escaped being stung. 



" Undoubtedly Wasps do a certain amount of good in killing flies 

 and other insects, but in my opinion it bears a very small proportion 

 to the amount of harm. The autumn dwindling commenced unusually 

 early, — at the beginning of August, or even sooner." 



In the neighbourhood of Farningham, a little village near South- 

 field, Dartford, Kent, three dozen nests were found within a radius of 

 a quarter of a mile, and taken with turpentine and paraffin. (Contri- 

 buted by Mr. F. 0. Solomon, Lecturer in Agriculture of Durham 

 College of Science.) 



Surrey. — Birtley, Witley. The following note refers to one of the 

 worst accidents from Wasp attack to horses of which I heard, and of 

 this such exaggerated accounts were circulated, that on application to 

 him as to what really had occurred, Mr. Thomas Collins, the Agent 

 for the Earl of Derby, at the above address, kindly contributed the 

 following information : — " The only way in which the Wasps have 

 interferred with our agricultural operations, so far as I know, is by 

 driving the horses and men from their work. 



" We have ploughed through a great many nests ; but on one 

 occasion the horses were so stung that they tried to get away, 

 and one of them fell into a narrow ditch just close to a tree, and 

 the men had to cut the tree down to get the horse out, and even 

 then, as he was on his back and could not turn, he had to be pulled 

 out by main force. We found he had been stung in more than twenty 

 places. His partner fared a little better, as we could find only about 

 a dozen bumps on him. The man who was with the horses, and 

 another who ran to his assistance, both got severely stung about the 

 head and neck." 



(Obsei'vations as to the inconvenience caused by attacks of the 

 Wasps to horses and men, will be found in the report of Mr. Charles 

 Kobiuson, of Deeding (p. 129), and mentioned by other contributors. 

 —Ed.) 



The Gardens, Lytlie Hill, Haslemere, Surrey. Mr. Evans, a very 

 careful and experienced observer, writing on September 9th, mentions 

 the enormous prevalence of the pests, their early appearance, the 

 damage caused there, the great number of nests, and effectiveness of 

 cyanide of potassium for getting rid of them : — "In answer to your 

 enquiry respecting damage, &c., of Wasps, I beg to inform you that 



