FORTY-FIFTH ANNUAL REPORT. 85 



fruit (»u which it feeds until it goes into hibernating quarters, in rub- 

 bish, etc., for the winter, ready to come out again the following spring 

 and resume its ravages. 



The curculio feeds by puncturing the skin of the fruit with its beak 

 and eating the pulp beneath. This is the best time to spray, as the 

 curculio will take in some of the poison when puncturing the skin. If 

 it fails to kill him or her, eggs will be laid and it cannot be killed by 

 spray in the larval and pupal stages, Avhen it does much damage. 



There are several methods of prevention in the control of the curculio. 

 First, remove all rubbish piles, stone piles, etc., in and around the 

 orchard as these afford favorable hibernating quarters for the beetle 

 over winter. Practice clean culture in the orchard. 



At the time the curculio is in the ground, that is, the ])upal stage, the 

 soil should be disced to a depth of about o to 4 inches. Tliis throws 

 the tender pupa to the surface where they are easily killed by their 

 natural enemies and climatic conditions. It is important that this 

 harrowing or discing shall be thorough ; going as closely to the trees 

 as possible; shallow and at rather frequent intervals. 



The old method of jarring the adult beetles from the tree by means 

 of poles padded on the ends, has proven both expensive and inefficient 

 in large commercial orchards and is rapidly going out 'of use. The 

 best and favorite method of control at the present time is spraying. 

 Two pounds of arsenate of lead added to 50 gallons of lime-snl])hnr is 

 the spray most frequently used. A first ai)plication should be made 

 very early in the spring to cover the young buds, on which the beetle 

 first feeds on coming out from its winter quarters. During the feed- 

 ing process, the beetle usually takes in enough of the poison to cause 

 its immediate death, A spray at the time the petals fall is extremely 

 important to protect the setting fruit from the beetle. About ten days 

 later another spraying should be made to cover the young developing 

 fruit. Spraying at intervals of about two to three weeks should be 

 made until about 1 month before the fruit ripens. 



This spray of arsenate of lead and lime-sulphur controls not only 

 the curculio, but the fungicide kills all fungi, especially brown-rot 

 which might enter the punctures produced by the beetle. 



It should be remembered that spraying, cultivation, etc., should be 

 thorougli and above all at the proper times if complete control of the 

 curculio is to be obtained. 



