STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 93 



bleak and bare outside, and the Katydids liad been swept otf by tlie early frosts nearly 

 two months before, yet these continued to deposit up to within three days of their death. 

 No one with the knowledge of such facts, would for a moment doubt that in certain 

 southeily latitudes, it is possible for the Curculio to be double-brooded, and yet be 

 single-brooded in more northerly regions; for several instances of a similar nature in 

 insect life, might 1^^ cited. Ikit that it is single-brooded as far south as the southern 

 part of the State of Illinois, 1 feel quite satisfied. The Curculios generated from those 

 which wintered over, never lay eggs the same season they are hatched; at least, no 

 one has ever succeeded in makmg them do so, though the experiment has been tried 

 by Dr. Trimble, Dr. Hull, Judge IJrown, and myself. Indeed, all analogy contirms the 

 belief in its one-brooded character, for it is admitted that the Plum Gouger {Anthonomus 

 prunicida, Walsh), the Apple Curculio {Anth. quadngiUus, Say), the Pea-weevil 

 [Bmchus pisi, Linn.), and many other closely allied species produce but one brood 

 «ach year, and it is with good reason argued, that if there were two generations of 

 Curculios, late fruit would be covered with their crescents, whereas we know that 

 such is not the case. 



As to the hibernation of the Curculio, it is only necessary to state, that I am positive 

 that the beetles survive the winter, for I have frequently found them myself during 

 this season of the year, under the rough bark of both fi-uit and forest trees, and they 

 have been found in like situations and under the shingles of houses, etc. , by several 

 other persons. Dr. Hull, on the contrary, believes that they pass the winter in the 

 preparatory state, and records in so many words, that he has found thelarvre in Jan- 

 uary at a depth of from fifteen to thirty-six inches, and that in April he has found l)oth 

 larvse, pup;c and beetles below ground. Now, I have a good deal of faith in the 

 accuracy of the Doctor's oljservations, and accept these statements as truth, the more 

 willingly because the Four-humped, or Apple Curculio, which attacks our apples, 

 quinces and haws, does pass the winter in the larva state under ground. But had he 

 not found the beetle in company with the larva; and pupa;, I should not so readily have 

 accepted such proof, but, like Oliver Twist, should ask for more; for the larvse 

 of several species of snout-beetles very much resemble each other, and we are all 

 liable to make mistakes. Individually, I never found Plum Curculio larva; at a greater 

 depth below ground than six inches, and my elforts to find them in the winter under 

 trees from which infested fruit had fallen during the previous summer, have so far 

 been fruitless. 



As to whether the Curculio is the cause of the Peach-rot, there can be no question 

 whatever that it is greatly instrumental in spreading this dreaded disease. So much is 

 this the case, that by protecting fi-uit in such a manner that no Insects can get at it, you 

 may in a great measure save it from rotting: and this is an additional reason why 

 trees should be thoroughly jarred and protected from the Curculio. But I yet liold 

 that the puncture cannot possibly be the first cause of Peach-rot. This is sutfieiently 

 proved by the facts, that much of the fruit is punctured long before the rotting season 

 commences; that the fruit often arrives at perfect maturity, still containing the grub; 

 that in certain localities, and in favorable seasons, the rot is scarcely known, though 

 the fruit is badly punctured; and, finally, that the crescent of the Curculio often 

 (indeed, in the great majority of instances) heals up entirely, thus precluding the idea 

 of any poisonous effect attending the puncture. It might, with equal reason, be 

 argued that the Grape-rots, the Potato-rot, and all the innumei-able other rots are also 



