toward savitiij our cro]> for tho titno. llnwover, I l)oIiove tliat fill will ronrfdo that an 

 otlortiial, iiR'xnoiisivo, and easily a|>j)lif<l nnicdy for tlic attacks of this triMihlcsoiiic 

 insect, is worth a handsome reward. 



I'roniisinj; tlius far, I will mention a tVw instances, which may not he (rcncially 

 known, where the Curoulio lias been more or less successfully comhatted. An acquaint- 

 ance, an amateur horticulturist, who had planted his I'lum trees in a yard by them- 

 selves, for the purpose of allowing the hogs and chickens to run at large among th<' 

 trees, and not finding the plan quite satisfectoiy, covered tlie ground with fresh hoi>r 

 manure when the fruit was beginning to form; and the experiment was attended with 

 success. This coverin_g is now continued every season, and he infonns me that he is 

 rewarded with good crops for his trouble. I do not remember whether lie told me 

 to what depth he covered the ground. Perhaps six indies would be sufficient ; a larger 

 quantity might induce fermentation, and be injurious to the trees. 



Visiting a friend in the interior of the State, I observed a IMum tree that stood along- 

 side a privv, which was bearing a very large crop of fruit, while the other trees in the 

 garden had little or nothing on them, all being claimed by the Curculio, with the 

 exception named. 



I have been told of others who have succeeded in saving their Plums, by hanging 

 bottles of pyrolignous acid, creosote, chloride of lime, (kc, in the trees. From this we 

 are led to infer that strong, pungent odors are not agreeable to the apparently sensitive 

 olfactories of the insect. The only difficulty that appears here, is that preparations of 

 this character are very volatile in their nature, and soon become exhausted, and it is 

 troublesome and expensive to renew them often. This objection, however, I think is 

 obviated in the following plan, which has proved eminently successful the past season, 

 and which I would recommend a pretty extensive trial of, the present season. It is this: 

 As soon as the fruit is as large as Peas, take a common paint-brush, or any other brunli, 

 or a woolen rag, and some fish oil, and cover all of the jirincipal brandies and tnmk of 

 the tree, with the oil. It is the same that is in common use among curriers, harness- 

 makers, (fee. This application is cheap, and it only requires to be don6 once in the 

 season. I had the pleasure of examining several trees of the best leading vaiieties 

 which had been served in this manner, the past season, and the result far exceeded my 

 expectations; the trees had to be propped up to prevent their breaking down with the 

 weight of fruit. If the "little turk" had appropriated one-half of the crop to his own 

 use, it would have been a positive benefit to what remained. But he is not satisfied 

 with a share — he takes the whole, if he is not well watched. 



Should this remedy prove as successful with all who may tr}' it as it was in the case 

 above noted^ we need not despair of Plums — we shall have plenty of them. The dis- 

 covery (if it is new^) is not mine — others may have tried it; but as I have not seen it 

 published, it is herewith presented to you. 



[Covering with fresh manui-e (or old manure) strikes us most favorably as being likely 

 to prevent .the Curculio from escaping from his winter quarters in the ground. — Eu.] 



