STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 20 7 



These curculio Larvae come near the surface as they are about to change to pupse and 

 from the earth .is they transform. This process of transformation Is going on during 

 several months, varying according to their Beveral degrees of development . 



Their gradual emergence has probably given rise to the theory before alluded to, viz.: 

 that of the general hybernation of this Insect in the beetle form. Some of the advo- 

 cate of this theory, mi dissecting cnrculios late in the season, found their bodies to 

 contain no eggs, while those examined by them In the spring were full of them. In 

 these examinations, it seems to as a physiological fad bas been losl Bighl of, viz.: that 



the ovary and egg evrms it contains are nol the result Of an after growth any more than 



in animals or other Insects; also when the ovary is once exhausted, these insects may 

 properly be considered to have run their course, [f this view, thus briefly stated, be 

 correct, then it would seem to follow thai insects examined in the fall, and found to 

 contain no eggs, were really those that had exhaust d their bodies <>t" them, and could 

 in no wise afford any proof of the general hybernation in the manner stated. Is it not 

 possible that the bisects dissected in the fall were those thai had exhausted their ovary 



and crawled into place.- id' concealment there to die, as they are known to do alter 

 having finished their work? 



Entomologists have, by experiment, shown that a portion of the larval of the curcu- 

 lio transform in from twenty to thirty days. These experiments made by them in jars 

 filled with earth, cannot, we think, be considered conclusive, since the insects thus 

 treated, would be in a temperat me different from that of the earth at the depth of 

 from one tot hree feet below the surface. Again, is it not probable t hat such larvse, as 

 had been perfected in the fruit, were selected for experiment, whereas, nol more than 

 one in ten of the punctured plums, ever nourish the larva' they contain to become 

 mature grubs? 



Three dozen cnrculios captured at the commencement of the season, confined and 

 supplied with fruit, ceased to deposite eggs after the 22d day, when an examination 

 under tie- microscope showed their ovary to have been entirely exhausted. Single 

 pairs of cnrculios confined and treated aa above stated, yielded one, 19, and others from 

 :i, and the longest time in depositing these eggs by any one individual 

 was 18 days. Where more than one pair of Individuals were confined in a case if was 

 impossible to determine tin- number- of eggs jointly contain* d by I tiem,6ince an almost 

 constant warfare was kepi up, resulting in the loss of the eggs, before they c6uld be 

 placed in the puncture- made for their reception. 



Having given the result of our observations, Bhowing that large numbers of curculio.- 

 remain in the earth daring the winter and that their emergencies extends through sev- 

 eral months, thus keeping up a constant supply of fertile cnrculios until late in the 

 Beason. According to the theory of hybernation above ground, this could not he. The 

 following table, compiled according to the theory in connection with known facts 

 would .-how, i- to be without fertile cnrculios for thirt] -one. day.- in what i- known as 

 the curculio season. First eggs deposited say May 5th : 



days. 



Time for egga to hatch o 



'l one tor Ian a- to perfect themselves in the fruit _ 20 



Time spent by the larvse under ground, there showing shortest time, ',n\ : 



for emergence to laj ing eggs, 8 



5:5 

 Deduct 22 days, the latest time of depositing eggs by the insect- in confinement. ..22 



Leaves 31 day s 31 



