REMEDIAL MEASURES: HISTORICAL. 157 
some contrivance could be found out to disturb or destroy him, you might then hope 
to taste-a nectarine—one of the most delicious fruits in the universe, and much 
exceeds a peach, in a rich vinous-flavored juice. And an apricot is also one of the 
fine fruits. Last year our standards were overloaded, which were allowed to excel 
the wall fruit. 
Suppose as soon as this beetle is discovered if the trees were to be smoked, with 
burning straw under them or at some distance, so as to fumigate their branches at a 
time the beetles are most liable to attack the fruit, or if the trees were to be squirted 
on with a hand engine with water in which tobacco leaves were soaked; either of 
these two methods, I should think, if they did not totally prevent, yet at least would 
secure so much of these fine fruits as would be worth the labor of people of circum- 
stances who are curious to taste these delicious fruits in perfection. 
I take it the reason the plum succeeds so well is the frequent shaking of the trees 
by being planted in a frequented place. The beetles are tumbled off, or else are 
disturbed and frightened from settling on the trees. 
The earliest extended account of the insect is that by Dr. James 
Tilton, of Wilmington, Del., in Willich’s Domestic Encyclopedia 
(vol. 3, p. 116), published in 1804. This original article shows a 
considerable familiarity with the curculio, and was much quoted by 
subsequent writers. Some of the methods suggested for control 
later came into much notoriety and use. This comparatively inac- 
cessible article is here reproduced: 
Curculio, a genus of insects belonging to the Coleoptera, or beetle order. The 
species are said to be very numerous. The immense damage done, by an insect of 
this tribe, to the fruits of this country, of which there is no similar account in Europe, 
has given rise to a conjecture with some naturalists, that we have a peculiar and very 
destructive species in America. 
The manner in which the insect injures and destroys our fruits, is, by its mode of 
propagation * * *. Early in the spring, about the time when the fruit trees are 
in blossom, the Curculiones ascend in swarms from the earth, crawl up the trees, and 
as the several fruits advance they puncture the rind or skin, with their pointed rostra, 
and deposit their embryos in the wounds thus inflicted. The maggot thus imbedded 
in the fruit preys upon its pulp and juices, until in most instances, the fruit perishes, 
falls to the ground and the insect escaping from so unsafe a residence, makes a sure 
retreat into the earth: where, like other beetles, it remains in the form of a grub or 
worm, during the winter, ready to be metamorphosed into a bug or beetle, as the 
spring advances. Thus every tree furnishes its own enemy; for although these bugs 
have manifestly the capacity of flying, they appear very reluctant in the use of their 
wings; and perhaps never employ them but when necessity compels them to migrate. 
It is a fact that two trees of the same kind may stand in the nearest possible neighbor- 
hood, not to touch each other, the one have its fruit destroyed by the curculio, and 
the other be uninjured, merely from contingent circumstances, which prevent the 
insects from crawling up the one, while they are uninterrupted from climbing the 
other. 
The curculio delights most in the smooth skinned stone fruits, such as nectarines, 
plums, apricots, etc., when they abound on a farm; they nevertheless attack the 
rough-skinned peach, the apple, pear, and quince. The instinctive sagacity of these 
creatures directs them especially to the fruits most adapted to their purpose. The 
stone fruits more certainly perish by the wounds made by these insects, so as to fall 
in due time to the ground, and afford an opportunity to the young maggot to hide 
itself in the earth. Although multitudes of seed fruits fall, yet many recover from 
