The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1855-07-20
agritultmal.
Agricultural Division Of ILs Patsl.
Office.
TIE PLux wEEvIL, on CuRcurIo.

We make the following extract from the
report Of Mr.. Townend Glover on the cur
culio, which will be published in the forth
coming agricultural report Of the Patent
Qf6ce:
"The plum weeyil, or curculio, (rhy'ea-
sns nsnuphGr,) is one Of the most destrue-
tive insects that tho hortieulturist has to
fear, not to plums alone, but to cherries,
nectarines, and apples, which are indiscrim-
inatcly attacked; and in the more Southern
States, peaches also suffer much from the
larvp Of weevil OF this kind, Of similar
habits and shape, ifnos identically the same.
The perfect curculio Is about two-,enths OF
an inch in length, Of a dark brown color,
with spot Of ycllowish white on the hind
part Of each wing case. Tho head is fur
nished with q long curved snout or bill. with
which ], Is enabled to bore into tho unripe
frui. by means Of jaws placed at the end OF
this bill. The wing cases, which are rigid,
uneven, land bumped, cover two transparent
wings, by which tho perfect weevil is en-
abled to ay from tree to tree; but when
these wing cases are closed, the back ap-
pears without any surface or division, which
has lei to tho very erroneous idea among
farmers that the inscc. cannot az. When
disturbed, or shaken from the trco, il Is so
similar in appearance to dried bud that it
can scarcely bo distinguished, especially
when fsignins death, which il always does
when alarmed. As soon as tho plums are
Of the size Of peas, the weeyil commences
the work Of destruction by making o sem
icircular cut through the skin with her long
curved snou., in the apex OF which cut she
deposits single egg She then goes to
another plum, which is treated in similar
manner, until she has exhausted her whole
stock Of eggs. The grubs, which arc hatch
ed by the heat Of the sun, Immediately eat
their way to the stone ia an oSlique direc'
ton. whero they remain suawins the inter
ior until tho frui, Is weakened and diseased,
md by thi, treatment falls from the tree
The grub, which is small. yellowish, foot
less, white massos, then leaves the fallen
fruit, enters the earth, changes into pupa,
and in the FIRST brood comes to tho surface
again. in aboa, thrce weeks, as perfec. wee.
vii. 10 propagate its species and destroy
moro fruit. IL has not yet been decided
whether the latest generation Of the weeyil
remains in the ground all winter in the grub
or in the pap state. DR.. I. SAubOrn, Of
Apdover, Massachusetts, asserts, however,
that tho grubs, after having entered the
earth, return to tho surface in about 81,
weeks a. perfect wscvils, which must remain
hidden in crsvicss until spring. Tho mos
popular opinion Is that they remain in The
larve or pupa stats The worm or grnb /
often found in the knots or excresccnces
which disfguro and destroy plum trees, and
has been wrongfully accused Of being the
cause Of these swsllings; but !. is highly
probable that the weevil. finding in the
young knots On acid somewhat similar tc
that Of the unripe fruit, merely deposits iss
eegs therein as tho nearest substitute for
tine real plum. ..aA -'''' @