By Sir Oswald Mo s ley, Bart. 57 



sufficient for us to know, that the depredations it has com- 

 mitted, in our orchards, have been confined to the period of a 

 few years ; but that even in those few years, its increase has 

 been so rapid, and the injury it has caused, in many cases, so 

 fatal, as to call forth the most anxious enquiries after some 

 mode of destroying it, and rescuing our Apple-trees from its 

 baneful attacks. To effect this desirable purpose, has been 

 the object of different experiments, which I have tried, during 

 the two last summers, on several trees. I directed one to be 

 washed with a strong infusion of sulphur, in soap suds, which 

 was forcibly thrown upon the insects from a garden engine ; 

 a temporary stupor seemed to affect them, in consequence, 

 but no greater, than I had previously observed a violent 

 shower of rain to produce upon them. I applied a strong 

 decoction of tobacco leaves, in a similar method, to another 

 tree, but with no better success. In hot-houses, I had fre- 

 quently seen the destructive effects of the smoke of tobacco 

 upon insects, but I found considerable difficulty in applying 

 it to trees in the open air, so as to keep it sufficiently com- 

 pressed, to answer the purpose. Having ignited the dried 

 leaves of tobacco, in an empty flower-pot, and applied a pair 

 of bellows to the hole at the bottom of it, my gardener bound 

 the mouth of the pot to the bough of the Apple-tree with a 

 wet napkin, which prevented the fumes from escaping, whilst 

 the operation of the bellows directed them to the parts affected. 

 The success of this experiment was much more complete, 

 than that which had attended the others : great numbers of 

 the insects perished, but some few, to my great surprise, sur- 

 vived, even after the most careful application of it. Upon 

 vol. in. I 



