158 THE PLUM CURCULIO. 
their wound, which heal up with deeply inflicted wounds * * *. This probably 
disconcerts the curculio, in its intended course to the earth. Be this as it may, certain 
it is, that pears are less liable to fall, and are less injured by this insect than apples. 
Nectarines, plums, etc., in most districts of our country, where the curculio has gained 
an establishment, are utterly destroyed, unless special means are employed for their 
preservation * * *. Cherries escape better, on account of their rapid progress to 
maturity and their abundant crops: the curculio can only puncture a small part of 
them, during the short time they hang upon the tree. These destructive insects 
continue their depredations from the first of May until autumn. Our fruits collec- 
tively estimated must thereby be depreciated more than half their value. 
It is supposed the curculio is not only injurious above ground, but also in its retreat, 
below the surface of the earth, by preying on the roots of our fruit trees. We know 
that beetles have, in some instances, abounded in such a manner as to endanger whole 
forests. Our fruit trees often die from manifest injuries done to the roots by insects, 
and by no effect more probably than the curculio. In districts wherein the insect 
abounds, cherry trees and apple trees, which disconcert it most above, appear to be 
the special objects of its vengeance below the surface of the earth. 
These are serious evils; to combat which, every scientific enquirer is loudly called 
upon to exert his talents; every industrious farmer to double his diligence, and all 
benevolent characters to contribute their mite. 
Naturalists have been accustomed to destroy vicious insects, by employing their 
natural enemies to devour them * * *. (See BiicHr.) 
We are unacquainted with any tribe of insects able to destroy the curculio. All 
the domestic animals, however, if well directed, contribute to this purpose. Hogs 
in a special manner are qualified for the work of extermination. This voracious 
animal, if suffered to go at large in orchards, and among fruit trees, devours all the 
fruit that falls, and among others the curculiones, in the maggot state, which may 
be contained in them. Being thus generally destroyed in the embryo state, there 
will be few or no bugs to ascend from the earth in the spring, to injure the fruit. Many 
experienced farmers have noted the advantage of hogs running in their orchards. 
Mr. Bordley, in his excellent ‘‘ Essays on Husbandry” takes particular notice of the 
great advantage of hogs in orchards; and although he attributes the advantage derived 
from these animals to the excellence of their manure, and their occasional rooting 
about the trees, his mistake in this trivial circumstance does by no means invalidate 
the general remarks of this acute observer. The fact is, hogs render fruits of all kinds 
fair and unblemished, by destroying the curculio. 
The ordinary fowls of a farm yard are great devourers of beetles. Poultry in gen- 
eral are regarded as carnivorous in summer, and therefore cooped sometime before 
they are eaten. Everybody knows with what avidity ducks seize on the tumble bug 
(Scarabxus carnifex), and it is probable the curculio is regarded by all the fowls as 
an equally delicious morsel. Therefore, it is, that the smooth stone fruits particularly 
succeed much better in lanes and yards, where the poultry run without restraint than 
in gardens and other enclosures, where the fowls are excluded. 
Even horned cattle and all sorts of stock may be made to contribute to the preserva- 
tion of our valuable fruits. By running among the trees they not only trample to 
death multitudes of these insects; but by hardening the ground, as in lanes, it becomes 
very unfit to receive or admit such tender maggots as crawl from the fallen fruits. 
Besides, the curculio is very timid, and when frightened by the cattle rubbing against 
the tree or otherwise, their manner is to fold themselves up in a little ball and fall 
to the ground; where they may be trampled and devoured by the stock, poultry, etc. 
Col. T. Forest, of Germantown, having a fine plum tree near his pump, tied a rope 
from the tree to his pump handle, so that the tree was gently agitated every time 
there was occasion to pump water. The consequence was that the fruit on this tree 
was preserved in the greatest perfection. 
