Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1855-11-16
RArsnNa Pkums-A coNvE-SENI
I CURcuLnO TRAP.

remedy for the destruction Of the
curculio has appeared. Some Of
these have bean published, while
the fortunate discoveries Of 9TH
ers have not been generousor pub
lic-spirited enough to let their
neighbors into the secret without
a prepaid bonus from the public,
or the public's servant-the Gov
eminent.
But, after all, we have advanc-
ed little beyond the old original
remedy of jarring the scritters"
into a sheet and burning them
We are indebted to DIR. Z. 5.
Hull, Of Alton, ILL.,, for an ingeni-
GUS and convenient arrangement
for doing this-not before publish
ed, we bel;eve-which is worthy
Of description. 1t is impatient
ed, and any one can make and
use it.
It consists essentially Of a light
circular frame, covered with can
vas, and placed upon a wheel-bar-
row. This frame which is 10 or
10 feet in diameter, according to
the general size Of the trees, is
constructed in the shape of an in
verified umbrella-the centre rest
ing in the middle of the barrow
thus forming a kind of broad,
following dish, with a box under
the centre for catching whatever
falls on the canvas and rolls down
into the middle. An opening oil
slit, wide enough to admit the
body of the tree, is made from
the front part Of the frame near
ly to the centre. In the back
part Of this slit; and over a point
just in front Of the wheel, a jar
ring-block or "ram" is placed, the
front Of which is covered with
piece Of India-rubber or Of felt
OF a few thicknesses Of an ole
hat, to prevent barking Of the
trees.
The apparatus being thus ar
ranged, the operator takes the
long handles and wheels it rount
the orchard. He runs under
each tree-the tree passing into
the slir, so as to bring the apara
tus under all the branches-anC
giving two or three blows with the
"battering-ram," the curculios are
brought down upon the canvas
and tumbled into the receiving
box, together with the decayine
plums, &c. The sides Of the can
vas should be quite steep, SO that
the motion Of the wheel-barrov
will carryeverything falling on The
canvas down into the receiving
box.
One man with this apparatus
eau 60 over an orchard Of three o.
four hundred trees during tn,
forenoon. This should be com
menced on the first appearance.
Of the curculios in May, and b.
continued at intervals until thei
disappearance in July. The bes
time for catching the insect is il
the early part of the day. DR.
Hull informs US that he goes owe
the ground as often as ho cal
catch eight ourculios from a hun
dred trees.
This apparatus he has used TO
five years with unvarying sue
cess. 1t is certainly a simple ar
rangement, which can be cheaply
constructed, and is worthy of gen
Ieral adoption by those who ex
pect to succeed in raising goo,
plums.
The ravages Of the curculio ar
becoming so general that it i
hardly worth while for any one t
attempt to do much at cultivat
ing plums, unless he keep tree
enough TO employ a man to at
tend to them from the setting +
the gathering Of the fruit. Whel
a good market is near, fifty tree
are enough to do this with a iai
profit.
DR.. Underhill, of Croton Poin,
however, has succeeded admirabl,
in raising plums, by setting tree
around artificial ponds, and lean
ing them over the water. Tn
insect instinctively avoids deposi
ting its eggs where the young ar
exposed to certain destruction tn
moment they drop off from tn
trees.
! We learned, in our conversation
with DR.. Hull, Of an experimen
he made some time since, whic
initiates against the various rem
edies founded on the theory Of d.
stroying the curculios that bul
row in the earth around the bas
of the tree. Having destroye
the insects on his own trees, an
packed the earth we'll under then
he soon found a new and plent
fulsupply Of the depredators. ]