crop. As the fruit b^fcmes larger the many egg and feeding ]:)unc- 

 tures which it has received cause it to become misshapen and to exude 

 masses of gum. When the phims become of some size and are grow- 

 ing rapidly, the larva? are apparently not able to develop, but when 

 the fruit is nearly mature and softer they are. better able to survive, 

 and thus ripe fruit on the trees is often *' wormy." In certain locali- 

 ties late varieties are sometimes badly injured by feeding punctures 

 of the new generation of adults. 



Apple. — Curculio injury to the apple has lately been the. cause of 

 considerable complaint. It is much like that done to the plum, 

 though the young fruit is not so likely to fall to tlie ground when 

 punctured, and the larva» are probably never able to mature in fruit 

 which remains on the tree. The A^oung fruit may largely outgrow 

 the Q^^ puncture, which may show in the ripe fruit as a brown and 

 roughened, more or less crescentic spot which does not materially 

 affect its value; but when badly punctured, especially by feeding of 

 the beetles, the fruit as it grows becomes knotted and pitte<l. Fall 

 and winter varieties may be seriously injured b}- the feeding upon 

 the fruit of beetles of the ucav generation. 



Peach. — On account of the thick fuzzy i)ubescence on the young 

 peach, this fruit is perhaps attacked less early than is the plum, but 

 the character of the injury is essentially the same. Many fall to thi; 

 ground. Those remaining on the trees, if badly punctured, become 

 knotty and misshapen and often exude masses of gum from the 

 wounds. Such fruit will usually ripen ]>rematurely. Kipe fruit 

 which appears perfectly sound, but which contains nearly full-grown 

 larva^, is often found on the trees. To all appearances such fruit is 

 in first-class condition and is thus often .shipped to market. 



Cherry. — In most cases infested cherries do not fall to the ground, 

 the larva} maturing in the fruit (m the trees. Usually but a single 

 larva is found in a fruit, and infestation is apt to go undetected. 



Apricot and roectarine. — These are usually injured in much the same 

 way as are plum and peach. Isolated trees loaded with apricots are 

 often so badly infested that not a single fruit escapes. 



Pear. — Curculio larva* are aii])arently not able to develop in fruit 

 on the trees, hence injury is confined to the egg and feeding punctures 

 made by the adults when the pears are snuill. In fruit which does 

 not fall the injury may be quite outgrown, but in cases of excessive 

 puncturing the fruit is badly warped. 



XATrRAI> KXtmiES. 



Under the head of natural euemies are to be mentioned several 

 parasites of the plum curculio which play a very important role in 

 holding the insect in check. Perhaps the most important of these is 

 a minute hymenopterous insect belonging to the family Mymarida% 



[Cir. 73] 



