REMEDIAL MEASURES: HISTORICAL. 163 
Also, the following in The Farmers’ Guide (1824), page 208: 
It is recommended to put a ring round the tree, of a mixture of grease, or blubber, 
mixed with salt. Perhaps some of the other ingredients for destroying worms, would 
answer a better purpose. 
Again, in the New England Farmer, volume 9 (1830), is the follow- 
ing: 
In the month of July, I visited the beautiful settlement of Mr. Rapp, at Economy, 
on the bank of the Ohio, 14 miles below Pittsburg, and was highly gratified to see his 
numerous plum and prune trees loaded with fruit, uninjured by the insect. The 
senior Mr. Rapp informed me that while his trees were in bloom, his gardener placed 
around the body of them, a few inches above the ground, two pieces of boards, of suit- 
able size, say six inches by twelve, out of which a semi-circular portion had been cut, 
so that when fitted together, around the tree, they would completely invest the body. 
These were confined together by two narrow battens, secured with screws, on the under 
surface. On the upper surface, a circular channel was cut, half an inch deep, and one 
inch wide, so as to surround the tree. The joints between the two boards, where 
crossed by this channel, were closed with putty, and any vacancies between the boards 
and the tree carefully stopped with clay mortar. The circular channel is then fitted 
with tar, and presents an effectual barrier to the progress of the insects. Some atten- 
tion is required, to see that the tar does not leak out or become hardened. 
An article by James Thatcher, in the New England Farmer for 
March, 1840, is illustrative of a series of recommendations based on 
the believed efficacy of repellent substances, a portion of which is 
given: 
There is another process to be recommended, in which I have great confidence, 
as a part of our warfare against the curculio. It is to make a direct attack upon the 
female beetle while she is about to puncture the fruit to engender her young brood. 
This may be done by throwing from a garden engine or Willis’ excellent syringe, a 
liquid substance that will create a sort of deleterious atmosphere which will compel 
her to quit the tree, and will destroy the vitality of her eggs, should they have been 
deposited. I will name the following articles for this purpose: the composition of 
sulfur and lime recommended for grapes in Mr. Kendrick’s Orchardist, p. 328; a strong 
decoction of tobacco or snuff; chloride of lime; a weak solution of potash or even 
soapsuds. These materials, if showered over the trees and fruit, would prove so offen- 
sive as to force the female visitor from her generating process. The most proper time 
for this operation is in the evening, in order to meet the enemy, whose attack is sup- 
posed to be during the course of the night. This operation should be repeated sev- 
eral times during the week, from May to August, and the tree should frequently receive 
a thorough shaking, by which the insects will be greatly aisturbed and made to fall to 
the ground. Should my plan be deemed too onerous, the cultivator who may adopt 
it in full or even partially, may be assured that (in my opinion) he will have no cause 
to regret his labor. 
Belief in the efficacy of paving is shown by the following article 
which appeared in the New Genesee Farmer, volume 3, page 98 
(1833): 
D. Longstreet says that a gage plum tree which stood over a pavement, ripened its 
fruit in perfection last year, while all the fruit of his other trees of that kind, which 
were not over pavements, was destroyed by the curculio. In order to show that the 
result was caused by the pavement, he says that a plum tree, standing near the path 
to the barn, not paved but which was frequented almost hourly, lost all its fruit. Such 
facts ought to be recorded and generally known, 
