D{scussio7i on Insects. 201 



had upon his place fully eight thousand grape vines. He protected 

 them from the ants by the use of coal gas tar, which prevented the 

 ants from creeping up the vines. He was successful in that way. 



Mr. Wiggins, of Louisiana — A gentleman, with whom I am ac- 

 quainted, in the neighborhood of Crystal Springs, Mississippi, in- 

 formed me that in selecting ground for his peach orchard he would 

 clear off ground surrounded by trees. Planting out his trees there, 

 it was his custom, when the trees came to bear, to keep it well cul- 

 tivated and clean. He would send his children to gather the 

 peaches every morning that had fallen, and put them in barrels for 

 the purpose. He told me it was eminently successful, and that he 

 never was successful until he kept his peach orchard perfectly clean. 

 When the peaches would drop on the ground he would carry them 

 off immediately. He was the only man in that neighborhood who 

 had a majority of sound fruit. They have noticed up there that if 

 they should happen to have two peach seasons in succession, that 

 the second year they have always had unsound peaches. This country 

 is peculiarly adapted to the curculio, to an extent that I hardly 

 think you can realize in the North; and I am satisfied, from per- 

 sonal observation, that, as far as the South is concerned, the only 

 true method of preventing damage from the curculio is to keep the 

 orchard well cultivated, and to keep it well cleaned up. 



Mr. Kendel, of Ohio — Our peaches are very little troubled with 

 the curculio. We raise them very well along the lakes, but plums 

 we can not get on account of the curculio. Why they should at- 

 tack the plums and not the peaches I don't understand. The only 

 way I have known plums to be kept is by gathering the fruit as 

 fast as it falls. 



Mr. Nowlin, of Arkansas — I have probably one hundred Wild 

 Goose plum trees. I think last year it was the prettiest sight I ever 

 saw, about a bushel to the tree ; large, handsome fellows. I also 

 had a few young Green Gage trees bearing their first crop. They all 

 matured without any evidence of curculio. There was some evi- 

 dence of curculio in the peach crop, but not very extensive. 



3Ir. Hudson, of Louisiana — I am satisfied that a diligent use of 

 the sheet under the trees will successfully prevent the ravages of the 



