decreased.

282. Grubs.

Grubs on orchard trees, and gooseberry and currant bushes, will
sometimes be sufficiently numerous to spoil a crop; but if a bonfire
be made with dry sticks and weeds on the windward side of the orchard,
so that the smoke may blow among the trees, you will destroy
thousands; for the grubs have such an objection to smoke, that very
little of it makes them roll themselves up and fall off: they must be
swept up afterwards and destroyed.

283. Caterpillars and Aphides.

A garden syringe or engine, with a cap on the pipe full of very minute
holes, will wash away these disagreeable visitors very quickly. You
must bring the pipe close to the plant, and pump hard, so as to have
considerable force on, and the plant, however badly infested, will
soon be cleared, without receiving any injury. Afterwards rake the
earth under the trees, and kill the insects that have been dislodged,
or many will recover and climb up the stems of the plants. Aphides may
also be cleared by means of tobacco smoke, but after this has been
applied the plant should be well syringed.

284. Butterflies and Moths,

however pretty, are the worst enemies one can have in a garden; a
single insect of this kind may deposit eggs enough to overrun a tree
with caterpillars, therefore they should be destroyed at any cost of
trouble.

285. Birds.

To prevent destruction of fruit buds by birds.--Just before the buds
are ready to burst, and again when they have begun to expand, give
them a plentiful dusting with chimney soot. The soot is unpalatable to
the birds, and they will attack no bush that is thus sprinkled. It in
no way injures the nascent blossom or leaf, and is washed off in due
course of time by the rain.

286. Wasps.

Wasps destroy a good deal of fruit, but every pair of wasps killed in
spring saves the trouble and annoyance of a swarm in autumn.

287. Cure for Sting of Wasp or Bee.

A little ammonia applied to the puncture will speedily relieve the
pain, and so will the juice of an onion obtained by cutting an onion
in half and rubbing the cut part over the part affected. It is
necessary, however, to be very careful in any attempt upon a wasp, for
its sting, like that of the bee, causes much pain and frequently
induces considerable swelling. In case of being stung, get the
blue-bag from the laundry, and rub it well into the wound as soo