INJURIOUS INSECTS. 315- 



feet remedy for the ravages of this insect had been found, but as yet 

 that pleasure is denied me. 



Spraying with the arsenites alone, while it may save a percent- 

 age of loss, is always attended wiih danger to the tree, while destroy- 

 ing but few of the insects. The only safe admixture of Paris green 

 for use on the foliage of peach and plum is with the Bordeaux mixture 

 or with lime without the vitriol — not more than one ounce of green to 

 fifteen gallons of the lime water or mixture and applied in as fine a 

 spray as possible. Spraying should be done very early in the spring 

 before the blossoms open, or just after they have fallen. The curculios 

 are then congregating on the trees and breaking their winter fast by 

 nibbling the buds and tender bark. After the fruit has formed the 

 chances of the insect for absorbing any of the poison that might ad- 

 here to it are scarcely one in one hundred. 



Some of our St. Louis county peach-growers maintain that spray- 

 ing with the Bordeaux mixture either destroyed or drove away the 

 curculio as well as prevented leaf curl and other fungus diseases. 

 They used the spray freely two or three times in the spring, and claimed 

 that the general perfection of their crop was due to its action. I 

 think it was rather the result of comparatively few of the insects, as 

 the stone fruit crop of the previous year had been cut very short by 

 late frosts. 



Trapping, jarring and perseverance in gathering up and destroy- 

 ing all fallen fruit, early and late, wearisome and imperfect as these 

 measures are, still seem to offer the safest means of keeping the pest 

 in check. 



Experiments with some of the recently discovered insecticides 

 will be in order ihis season, and it is fervently hoped that among these 

 may be found a remedy even for this hardy and resourceful insect. 



