84 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Then in regard to the over-production in the whole country at large, 

 many think that from all the orchards that are now just coming into 

 bearing, certainly apples will soon be a drug on the market. Figures 

 fail to show this. In 189G the largest crop this country has ever seen, 

 was grown; since then the production has decreased very rapidly; at 

 the same time the acreage has increased still more rapidly, but we 

 must remember that at least 75% of all the young trees that are set 

 out never become good productive orchards. 



The San Jose scale and increase of other pests have probably caused 

 this decline, yet they are comparatively easy to control. This loss in 

 productiveness has been due largely to neglect by the farmer with a 

 small orchard. This is a connnon sight: In riding through the country 

 one's attention is called to the bare orchards that have been rendered 

 useless by the ravages of the San .Jose scale. 



Good apples will always be in demand and as soon as the ])roduction 

 readies the demand, the man who can pi'oduce the best fruit the cheap- 

 est, will still have a market; and so l)y organization, a little more co- 

 operation, and a lot more enthusiasm by Michigan growers, with all 

 the natural advantages in the world, tlie Michigan apple can be_ made 

 the big red api)le of this country. 



THE CUKCULIO. 



H. A. CLARK^ LANSING. 



The curculio is often known as the snout beetle or weevil. This in- 

 sect attacks apples, peaches, jdums, cherries and a number of other 

 fruits. It is by far the most destructive insect with which the fruit- 

 grower has to contend, not because of the direct damage it does itself, 

 by gnarling and deforming the fruit, but the damage done indirectly 

 by allowing the brown-rot fungus and other fungus diseases to enter 

 these punctures it makes in feeding and laying eggs. From this it can 

 be seen the great amount of damage this insect is capable of doing. 



There are four stages that the curculio passes through. Tlie mature 

 beetle comes out from its hibernating quarters from uiider brush, rub- 

 bish heaps, etc., in the orchard in early spring, and immediately attacks 

 the young buds; later the flowers and finally the 3'oung fruit. It 

 punctures the skin and just under the surface lays minute eggs, which 

 is the first stage. In about 5 to 7 days these eggs hatch into minute 

 larvae which immediately bore to the -center of the fruit; here it atajs 

 for a period of I.") days, during which time the young fruit drops to 

 the ground. The larvae (second stage) then bores out of the fruit and 

 enters the ground to a depth of about 2 to 3 inches; it then enters what 

 is known as the pupal stage (third stage), or the changing stage be- 

 tween the larvae into the adult curculio. It remains in the ground 

 for a period of about 28 days, at the end of this time it emerges from 

 the ground as an adult beetle. It immediately attacks the maturing 



