THE DESTRUCTION OF INSECTS. 
5S1 
fruit is set, which generally happens about the end of April, or the 
beginning of May, I take off with my thumb and finger all fore-right 
and superfluous side shoots, whilst they are but from two to three 
inches long, being cautious to leave as few as possible more than will 
furnish the tree with a good supply of young wood for the ensuing 
season. When the tree is not likely to put forth its branches too 
luxuriant, I seldom leave more than two or three buds upon the last 
year’s shoot, supposing it to be from twelve to eighteen inches long, 
observing to leave one as near as I can to the heel, and another at 
the extremity of each. Those trees I pick over in the fore-part of 
the day, I wash with pure water, played with the force of a garden 
engine, to wash down as much as possible all the old relics of bloom, 
&c. that may be left behind. This should be done early in the after¬ 
noon, so that they may have time to get dry before the cool of the 
evening comes on ; strict attention should be paid to looking over the 
trees once a week, for a short time, and taking off all useless shoots 
that may have been left, and repeating the washing every two or 
three days, when the weather is fine. By this means I have always 
been able to keep them free from insects, and the foliage has assumed 
a very healthy appearance, and never failed of having a good crop of 
fruit. I have seen washes of different kinds used, and even quick 
lime thrown all over the trees, which I consider not only unsightly, 
but (the lime in particular) very pernicious to the leaves. I never 
use a composition of any kind, except dusting them over with a little 
flower of sulphur in.case of mildew. Many people (and amongst 
them some gardeners of old standing) are of opinion that insects 
come in the air with cold east winds. This notion I class with those 
of frogs and toads being rained from the clouds, or the smallest insect 
in nature being produced without a parent, which appears to me as 
improbable as producing a camel out of a grain of sand. That cold 
winds may encourage these little animals in a great degree, I do not 
deny; and when the young shoots are allowed to get to any consi¬ 
derable length before the trees are hand-dressed over, they become a 
fine cover for the brood of these little creatures. I believe myriads 
of them will be generated in a very few days, then a little ungenial 
weather, tending to check the growth of the trees, the numerous in¬ 
sects obtain the mastery, and become difficult to get rid oft’, whereas 
if proper attention be paid, and no harbour allowed, the trees remain 
free, although cold weather may keep them in a slow state of growth. 
T. H. Bailey. 
April 14///, 1832. 
