SHADE TT R EOE INSECTS 
the ground, and it was found that where the young bark pressed 
forward to heal the wound and a vigorous flow of sap took place, 
many of the maggots near it were killed; the bark which had not 
been undermined was consolidated, and the health of the tree was 
improved.” 
23. Using this as a basis, he tried a more extensive experiment 
by “paring off the whole of the rough outer bark from 2,000 elms 
with a scraping-knife shaped like a spoke-shave. This operation 
caused a great flow of sap in the inner lining of the bark, and the 
grubs of the Scolytus beetle were found in almost all cases to perish 
shortly after.” 
24. 1842, London Botanic Society. A similar treatment was 
given to elms encircling their garden in the Regent’s Park, London. 
“Tt consists in divesting the tree of its rough outer bark, being 
careful at the infested parts to go deep enough to destroy the 
young larve, and dressing with the usual mixture of lime and cow- 
dung.” 
25. The “usual mixture” is probably the following ‘For- 
syth’s Composition,” or a modification of it. The directions for 
preparing this were given under oath at the Land Revenue office, 
in Scotland Yard, the 11th day of May, 1791. They are as follows: 
26. 1791, Forsyth (England). ‘Take one bushel fresh cow- 
dung, one-half bushel lime rubbish from old buildings, one-half 
bushel wood ashes, one-sixteenth bushel pit or river sand. The 
last three are to be sifted fine before they are mixed. Then work 
them well together with a spade, and afterward with a wooden 
beater, until the stuff is very smooth, like fine plaster used for the 
ceilings of rooms.” 
27. Soapsuds or urine were used to make this “composition” 
of the consistency of wet plaster or paint. The composition was 
also valued as a filling for cavities in trees. 
The following is still earlier, but along the same line: 
28. 1629, Parkinson (England). ‘The canker is a shrewd 
disease when it happeneth to a tree; for it will eate the barke 
round, and so kill the very heart in a little space. It must be looked 
into in time before it hath runne too farre: most men doe wholly 
cut away as much as is fretted with the canker, and then dresse ity 
or wet it with vinegar or cowe’s pisse, or cowe’s dung and urine, 
etc., until it be destroyed and after healed againe with your salve 
before appointed.” 
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