272 THE PEACH. 



it requires a light sudden tap, which jars, rather than a blow 

 which shakes, and if the frames are made so as to fold in the 

 middle, it will facilitate disposing of those insects which fall 

 upon it. 



In conclusion, the intelligent fruit-grower can draw many a 

 lesson from this account of the curculio — already somewhat 

 lengthy. Thus in planting a new orchard with timber sur- 

 rounding, the less valuable varieties should be planted on the 

 outside, and as the little rascals congregate on them from the 

 neighboring woods in the early part of the season they should 

 be fought persistently. It will also pay to thin out all fruit 

 that is within easy reach; while, whenever it is practical, 

 all rubbish and under-brush should be burnt during the 

 Winter, whereby many, yes very many of them, will be 

 destroyed in their winter quarters. As a proof of the value 

 of this measure when it is feasible, I will state that while the 

 peach crop of Southern Illinois was almost an entire failure 

 in 1868, Messrs Knowles k Co., of Macanda, shipped over 

 nine thousand boxes, (9000). Though they had a few hogs 

 in the orchard, these were not enough to do any material good, 

 and they think they owe their crop to the fact of having 

 cleared and burnt 100 acres surrounding the orchard, in the 

 early Spring of that year ; for, in 1867 curculios had been 

 very bad with them. Judge Kimble, who lives 4 miles north- 

 east of Cobden, also had a good crop free from their marks, 

 which he attributes to having burnt around the orchard in the 

 Spring of the year." 



Having all these measures for defence and protection within 

 our reach against the only two insect enemies of any note 

 that disturbs the peach tree and its splendid fruit, we can 

 very well afford to use some of them to insure remuneration 

 and profit in its culture. It is very obvious that the peach, 

 is, not only the most delicious and wholesome, but the most 

 valuable and saleable fruit that can possibly be raised in the 

 temperate regions of the South — taking into consideration the 

 ease and small amount of labor required in its cultivation. 



