THE PEACH. 261 



The Curculio {''Little TwrA:. ")— Next 

 to the borer this is the most formidable ene- 

 my to peach culture. He prefers the plum 

 and other smooth skin stone fruits, but -when 

 these cannot be found, the peach is his victim. 

 The State Entomologist of Mo., (Mr. C. 

 V. Riley) gives a very satisfactory account 

 Magnified wkeviu of this " pcrnicious little scamp." We in- 

 sert a few extracts from his first annual report, (1868). (How 

 much to our advantage would it be if our farmers were better 

 posted in Entomology. If we were, or would be true to our 

 own interest in this regard, the produce of the fields, as well 

 as the orchards, would be greatly increased in both quantity 

 and quality; and a little of this useful knowledge, which is 

 within the reach of all, would be a saving or addition of many 

 millions in the productions of the countr}^) 



"It is the business of the Entomologist to teach the farmer 

 and the fruit-grower, hoAv he may prevent the ravages of in- 

 sects, or the destruction of his crops ; how to distinguish be- 

 tween insect friend and insect fo'e ; hoAV to foster the one and 

 destroy the other, before the latter has sufficiently developed 

 to do damage. He is to show up any depredator whose pres- 

 ence the casual observer can only judge by the damage he 

 does ; he is to make us familiar with the general appearance 

 of insect friends or foes, in all their changes, and inform us in 

 what guise they do the most damage — for it is a well known 

 fact that, while some, perhaps most, insects do damage in the 

 larva state, like the codling moth, or the potato beetle — others, 

 like thq grass-hoppers or chinch-bug, do most damage as per- 

 fect insects. 



The curculio is the dreaded enemy to the growers of all 

 stone fruit. Mr. Ripley observes : " Although so much has 

 been written about it, I find it necessary to devote a few pages 

 to its consideration, since some of the points in its natural 

 history are not entirely and satisfactorily settled even yet. 

 There is, in fact, conflicting evidence from different authors as 

 to whether it is single or double brooded each year, and as to 

 whether it hybernates principally in the perfect beetle state 



