Middletown transcript., 1868-10-03
Aoritultmal department,
THE CURCULTO.

To horticulturalists there are few great
er pests than the little pests known as cur
culios. They destroy plums especially,
but no stone fruit is safe from their rava-
gcs. In some parts of the country they
have well nigh stopped the cultivation of
the plum. All neglected orchards are in
tested by this troublesome insect, which
lays its eggs in the newly formed fruit
During the course of the season the eggs
hatch, bringing forth the wellinown worm.
which proceeds to dcvour the fruit. AZ
ter longer or shorter time the diseased
fruit falls to the ground. The insect then
leaves its quarters and hibernates in the
ground, or under the bark of trees, until
it comes opt fully developed the following
spring, ready to renew its work of dcS-
truction. Its ravages are over by the
middle of the summer, and by September
the creature disappears entirely.
In that excellent journal, the .1mericon
E"tomolo9isf, published at St. Louis. we
find some facts concerning the curculio,
stated on the uathority of DR.. Hull, of H.
linois These new facts are classified un-
der five heads
l. If the curculio deposits its eggs ear
ly in the season, during those brief warm
spells which occasionally occur in spring,
and should these warm days be followed
by cold weather, of at least five days du-
ration, then these eggs do nat hatch, but
perish. A temperature of 700 r. is re-
quircd for the development of the larvae,
below this the eggs are not Matched.
2. In that portion of DR.. Hulls orchard
which adjoins the woods, it is exceedingly
difficult to get rid of this pest. Here the
curculio commences to sting the fruit as
soon as it is formed, but in the other parts
of the orchard several days later. 1t is
suggested that the insects which do this
early damage bave spent the winter under
the bark of the trees in the woods, where
they remain in the spring until they are
ready to lay their eggs, and then make
their way at once to the nearest fruit, anG
Immediately lay their eggs, On the othe,
hand, those who live in the orchard, be-
ing always about the trees, are more easi
ly caught and destroyed.
B. Peach trees cpt down to the root Of
ten throw up strong, vigorous shoots til,
same season, and these shoots are badl,
infested by the plum wecvil. The famil
lar cresccnt-shapcd cuts are seen in tn,
bark, and they are as populous witt
these inst c's as plum tr ics in full bearing
Late in the season they are said to be ever
more infested than the plum trees them
selves. Fifty years ago, Rev. +. V. Mel
shemer, of Pennsylvania, announced tina
the larvae of this weevil lived under tn,
bark of peach trees, but this is the frs
confirmation of the statement which ha
been published,
4. If fruit stung by the curculio hap
pens to fall upon ploughed ground, wher,
the sun can strike them, they wither ava,
and the larvae dies Dr Hull directs hi
men to lay his stung peaches upon sucl
ground.
5. Late varieties of peaches. when sinn.
do not give the egg time to hatch---or if
owing to peculiarities of the season, thi
should occur, the larvae soon pevishes.
DIR. Hull has invented curculio catch
er. This consists of large inverted UNI
brella, mounted on a wheelbarrow anC
split in front to go on either side of tho
tree to be operated upon At the inne
end of the split is padded bumper