20 THE PLUM CURCULIO. 
Under the caption, ‘‘The curculio in Michigan,” a Mr. Adrian, 
writing in The Cultivator in 1852, says: 
I propose in this communication to speak of the progress of the curculio in southern 
Michigan. I have been a resident of Lenowee County for the last 18 years. The 
first depredations of this insect commenced about six years ago, the first season attack- 
ing only a few of our choicest plums; the succeeding year they were more numerous, 
and since continue to increase from year to year, puncturing every variety of plum 
and also cherries to a considerable extent and in some instances often, apples. 
Dr. Asa Fitch in his Essay, published in 1860, says: 
As an evidence of its steady progress and increase [in New York State] during the 
past 40 years, I may state that in my boyhood the wild plum trees in my own vicinity 
were often well filled with fruit. But, though thrifty trees are still growing on several 
of the same places, I have never since that time seen a ripened plum upon any of them. 
A more recent statement relative to the invasion by the curculio 
of new territory (in Wisconsin) within its range of distribution is 
that by Prof. E. S. Goff in Insect Life (vol. 6, p. 37): 
Until recently the peninsula lying between Green Bay and Lake Michigan has 
been free from invasion by the curculio (Conotrachelus nenuphar), and until the 
present summer (1893) it has never been found in any part of this peninsula lying 
north of Sturgeon Bay so far as can be learned from fruit growers in that region. In 
consequence of this, plum growing is becoming an industry of some importance in 
that district. 
Prof. Goff further states as a result of personal examination that 
he found the curculio south of the bay, but that north of the bay 
no infested plums could be found, though a few wormy cherries 
were noted for the first time in the experience of the fruit growers. 
The invasion apparently proceeded from the southwest. 
Dr. B. D. Walsh, writing from Illinois in 1867, observes: 
Although the curculio now infests the cultivated species of plums (Prunus domestica 
Linn.) to fully as great extent as our common wild species (Prunus americana), yet 
it is only at a comparatively recent date that it attacks our cultivated plums, and 
since that epoch it has been occurring every year worse and worse and making 
onslaughts on other fruits, such as peach and cherry, and even the apple. 
‘The curculio,”’ said the Hon. D. B. Baker in 1855, ‘‘were unknown 
and never made their incursions into this region [Illinois] until some 
years after the organization of our State government, A. D. 1818. 
There can be little doubt, however, that the curculios have existed 
from time immemorial in our State, breeding in wild plums.” 
Numerous opinions of a similar nature might be cited to indicate 
the belief that the curculio was not indigenous to certain regions, 
and that it put in appearance only after cultivated food plants 
had been grown for some years. It seems more probable to the 
writers, however, as stated by Walsh, that the insect has always 
been generally distributed over its range, subsisting on wild food 
plants. The introduction of cultivated fruits undoubtedly resulted, 
