612 
ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW YORK 
beneficial than injurious—these caterpillars when their food is strongly im¬ 
pregnated with this substance, being more healthy and vigorous and coming 
to maturity a third sooner, than when it is not thus seasoned. My experi¬ 
ments on this subject, and their results, will be found fully stated, in the 
account of the apple tree caterpillar, given in my Second Report on 
Noxious Insects. 
It is my opinion, therefore, that tobacco water with whale oil soap added 
to it, will be found equally as effectual as the more complex mixture of 
Mr. Cummings. One or the other of these as the testimony now stands, 
promises to be the most efficacious of any remedy yet brought to public 
notice. 
One other topic connected with this branch of the subject merits to be 
adverted to before I leave this discourse. There is strong testimony to 
the fact that where trees are standing upon the margin of creeks and ponds 
with their branches extending over the water, they are not molested by 
this insect. A neighbor of mine, Peter Reid, Esq., who has an ardent 
predilection for observing our birds and their habits, and whose rambles in 
this pursuit have rendered him familiar with every part of the woodlands 
in his vicinity, informs me of a particular wild plum tree growing beside 
and leaning partially over a stream of water to which ho has repeatedly 
repaired at the season when the plums are ripe, always finding it well 
filled with fruit, whilst a number of other trees are known to hi(p, scat¬ 
tered about the woods, upon none of which has he ever been able to find a 
ripened plum. It hence appears that this insect possesses sufficient intel¬ 
ligence to be aware that if it commits its eggs to fruit which in falling will 
drop into water, its young will thereby be drowned ; and it hence avoids 
the trees where this casualty will be likely to occur. It is therefore recom¬ 
mended to every one who has a stream or a pond of water upon his grounds, 
to plant his plum trees along its margin. And this fact has suggested a 
kindred measure, namely, the placing of water in large shallow tanks or 
tubs under the trees. Some limited trials of this kind have been men¬ 
tioned to me as having appeared to be successful. But neither this nor 
any other remedy can be recommended and resorted to with perfect confi¬ 
dence, until its efficacy has been fully estblished by a carefully conducted 
series of experiments, or by the combined experience of several persons 
extended through a term of years. 
