300 AtPLE. 



For Apple trees on walls, it is advised to iin-nail the trees, 

 prune the young wood back as far as can properly be done 

 (and carefully burn the cuttings), and then wash the wall with 

 cement water, and also clean the branches of the Scale insects 

 with soft-soap wash or any other application preferred. 



Apple-blossom Weevil. Anthoiwmus pn)norum, Curtis. 



1 and 2, Apple bud pierced by weevil; 3, maggot; 4, pupa; 5, weevil; all 

 magniiied, with figures showing nat. size. 



These beetles attack the flower buds of the Apple before 

 they expand, and in some seasons do much harm, especially 

 in the cider-producing counties ; such was noted to be the 

 case as far back as the years 1816, 1831, 1832, and 1838. In 

 the present year I had notes of them from various localities, 

 and as destroying a large proportion of the Apple blossoms 

 before opening at a locality near Hereford. They also attack 

 the flower buds of the Pear. 



The method of life of these weevils is for the female to 

 make a small hole in an unopcnccl flower bud by means of 

 little jaws placed at the extremity of the long curved proboscis 

 or snout, with which these "long-nosed weevils" are furnished. 

 She then lays one egg in the hole, and with the help of her 

 proboscis she closes the opening ; she then goes on to another 

 bud, and may continue egg-laying for two or three weeks ; but 

 the date and amount of attack depend much on variation of 

 the season influenced by the weather, for the buds must be 

 formed before the eggs can be laid, and immediately the petals 

 begin to unfold egg-laying ceases. Hatching may take place 

 from the beginning to the end of April ; if the weather is 

 warm the eggs hatch in about six or seven days. 



Meanwhile the bud grows and the petals are of their usual 

 colour, but presently, instead of opening, they wither, and 

 inside, in place of the stamens and germ, which have been 

 destroyed, will be found a curved, fleshy, whitish, wrinkled 



