36 (^Ji the Fruit Curculio. 



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." 



*' Even homed cattle and all sorts of stock may be 

 made to contribute to the preservation 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 verv^ 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, &c. 

 Col. T. Forest, of Germantown, having a fine plumb 

 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 conse- 

 quence was, that the fruit on this tree was preserved in 

 the greatest perfection." 



*' All the terebinthinate substances, with camphor 

 and some others, ai'e said to be very offensive to insects, 

 generally. Upon this principle, General T. Robinson, 

 of Naaman's creek, suspends annually little bits of 

 board, about the size of a case knife, dipped in tar, on 

 each of his plumb trees. From three to five of these 

 strips are deemed enough, according to the size of the 

 tree. The Qeneral commences his operations about 



