APPENDIX. 283 



Its introduction and spread in the United States — It was probably intro- 

 duced into the United States from Europe in packages containing- apples or 

 pears. Just when the insect arrived in America will doubtless never be 

 known. It may not have been until about the middle of the last century. 

 for we find no references to "wormy apples " until after the plum curculio 

 began to be discussed in the literature. For many years the cause of 

 wormy apples in America was thought to be the plum curculio. Ajjparently 

 it was not until 1819 that this mistake was discovered by breeding a moth 

 from the supposed grubs of the curculio. At that time wormy apples and 

 pears were common near Boston. By 1840 the insect had become a serious 

 pest in the New England States, and was common in Central New Yoi'k. A 

 few hints here and there in the literature give us some idea of its westward 

 progress. It is said to have been unknown in Illinois in 1849, and to have 

 not invaded Iowa until about 18(iO. During the next decade its westward 

 progress must have been rapid, for it reached Utah soon after 1870. and 

 appeared in California in the spring of 1874. 



The insect is now recognized as a pest in nearly every section of the United 

 States where there are bearing apple orchards. 



How it is spread — As the worm often goes into the barrel or other jmcking- 

 case with the fruit when it is picked, and as it finds there in a suitable place to 

 spin up and undergo its further tranformations. it is thus often transpoiled 

 for longer or shorter distances. This is doubtless the principal method by 

 which the insect has been distributed, whether from one state to another or 

 from one continent to another. When these receptacles are emptied of their 

 fruit at its destination, they are often thrown one side without a thought that 

 adhering to the sides and tucked away in the cracks there may be a dozen 

 or even a hundred of the little worms in their snug cocoons, only awaiting 

 the proper season to develop into the parent insects, which usually have little 

 trouble in finding a suitable place in which to start their progeny. 



ESTIMATED LOSSES FROM ITS RAV'AGES. 



Evidently this insect has been noticeably destructive in orchards, that is, 

 it has ranked as an insect pest, since the earliest times; for Pliny wrote in 

 the first century of the Christian era that apples and pears "'are very much 

 worm-eaten in some years. " .Judging from recent reports, the percentage of 

 wormy fruits at the present time is nearly as large in many parts of Europe 

 as it is in America. Conservative estimates put the annual loss from its 

 ravages, in all countries where it is noticeably destructive and but little is 

 done to check it, at from twenty-five to seventy-five per cent, of the crop 

 of apples: but with pears the loss is usually considerably less. Where 

 modern methods of combating the insect are practiced, this percentage is 

 often reduced one-half or more. 



We have seen but two estimates of how many dollars this pest may cost 

 fruitgrowers annually. In 1877, Professor Forbes, after making careful 

 experiments and observations, and making all allowances for modifying cir- 

 cumstances, reached the conclusion that the annual loss due to the apple 

 worm in the State of Illinois miist reach the enormous total of $2,375,000, or 



