Injurious Insects. 141 



same time learning more of the ways and habits of these 

 insect hordes, and discovering new and more valuable 

 methods to combat their mischief, we might well stand 

 appalled in hopeless dispair, as we should see in prospect a 

 revisitation of the seventh of the old Egyptian plagues, 

 when every green thing was swept by the devouring locust, 

 from off the face of the whole earth. 



It is no slight embarrassment to stand before so great an 

 evil, with but the one weapon of an hour's time, and know 

 where best to strike. Yet in this practical age, before an 

 audience of practical folk, I can not go amiss in describing 

 some of our worst enemies, each typical of a large group, 

 and showing you just how you can best overcome the fear- 

 ful ravages which they inflict. 



In opening with the Codling Moth, I have the advantage 

 of introducmg an old acquaintance. You have seen him. 

 I won't say tasted him, nor will I hint that he has enriched 

 many a glass of cider, over which we have all smacked our 

 lips. You know how the little gray moth with its front 

 wings copper-tipped, is hardly more than one-half inch in 

 diameter, how it wakes from its pupa slumber from early 

 May even to July depending upon the temperature, how the 

 female moth lays a single white egg in the calyx end of each 

 fruit — apple, pear or quince; how the little larva or cater- 

 pillar eats about the core, filling its mine with its own filth; 

 how in four or five weeks it crawls forth from it dark tun- 

 nels and under some bark scale, in some old birds' nest, or 

 in a crevice it weaves its delicate cocoon of finest silk, and 

 soon changes to a pupa or chrysalis. In about two weeks it 

 bursts its somber garb, and again flits forth a gay and hand- 

 some moth — nay not handsome of handsome is as hand- 

 some does — for now it again stocks the fruit with the 

 baneful eggs. This second brood is like the first, only the 

 wee white larva — the so-called "worms" — do not leave 

 the fruit so quickly, but often remain domiciled in the lus- 

 cious pulp, till long after the apple is domiciled in cellar or 

 storehouse. 



As the one first to demonstrate the wondrous efficiency of 

 the paris green remedy for this worst enemy of the apple 



