MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, &«. 279 



numbers a diligent perfon can deftroy in this way in a day. 

 Oil has the fame effect on flies; bat it is very difficult to 

 touch them with it as they are fo quick in their motions. 



Of Birds, 



When fruit begins to ripen, Birds will attack it. The 

 beft preventive in this cafe is, to cover the trees with nets, or 

 buntine, a fort of cloth of which fhips' colours are made. Thefe 

 will admit a free circulation of air to the fruit, and will foon 

 dry after rain ; they will alfo be a good covering for the trees 

 in Spring, in cold, wet, or inowy weather. 



Rats and Mice. 



Thefe vermine do a great deal of mifchief in gardens, in 

 fheds, and other places, where they frequently deftroy great 

 quantities of Beans, Peafe, and other feeds ; it is, therefore, 

 the intereft of every gardener to kill as many of them as 

 poffible. 



There are different ways of deftroy ing them, by traps, and 

 by poifon ; but I would advife never to ufe arfenic,, or corro- 

 five fublimate, for that purpofe, except under particular cir- 

 cumftances, as they are deadly poifon : mix vomica will 

 generally anfwer the end as well, without the danger. In 

 cafe of being accidentally tafted by children or others, it will 

 be attended with no worfe confequence than leaving a difa- 

 greeable bitter tafte in the mouth ; unlefs, indeed, a confi- 

 derable quantity of it be taken, which would, no doubt, prove 



fatal v 



