228 



June 18. As the deposition of eggs is so rapid, especially at the first, 

 it is very important that the beetles be checked in their operations as 

 early as possible in the season. 



The eggs were counted between 7 and 8 o'clock each morning and 

 about 6 o'clock each evening. A few more eggs were laid during the 

 night than during the day as thus divided. The beetles took no food 

 after June 28 and died about July 12. Up to and including June 7 the 

 beetles were seen pairing not less than fourteen times, but not once 

 after that date. 



EGGr-LAYING RECORD OF A PLUM OURCULIO. 



A single female curculio that was brought into the laboratory on 

 June 7 and daily supplied with fresh plums made 426 punctures and 

 deposited ]67 eggs up to July 17. The largest number of eggs laid in 

 twenty -four hours was 11. It is highly probable that this beetle had 

 laid many eggs before being captured, but I give these figures because 

 I believe no statements based upon an actual count has ever been 

 made as to the number of eggs deposited by the curculio or the length 

 of time covered by a single female in the period of oviposition. 



LONDON PURPLE FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CURCULIO AND 



GOUGER. 



Ten minor plum trees standing in a row, and isolated from all other 

 plum trees by about 60 rods, were used in an experiment to test the 

 value of London purple for the destruction of the plum curculio and the 

 plum gouger. Five trees at one end of the row were thoroughly treated 

 with London purple in water in the following proportions and on the 

 following dates : May 1, 1 pound to 200 gallons ; May 10, 1 pound to 

 250 gallons ; May 14, 1 pound to 300 gallons ; May 26, 1 pound to 250 

 gallons ; June 2, 1 pound to 256 gallons; June 7, 1 pound to 256 gal- 

 lons. Trees 6, 7, and 8 were treated like the above, but with pure water 

 that they might be proper checks. It was thought necessary to spray 

 these trees with water for fear that the curculios and gougers, which 

 are timid creatures, might be driven by the spraying from the treated 

 trees to accumulate unduly upon the checks. Trees 9 and 10 were 

 untreated. It rained very frequently during the period that the appli- 

 cations were made, and although a considerable burning of the leaves 

 was apparent where the London purple was used, the injury to the 

 foliage was not serious. All fallen fruit was gathered and examined, 

 and the plums remaining on the trees were all examined before they 

 were ripe. Forty-five per cent, of all the fruit of the trees treated with 

 London purple was injured by the curculio, and 64 per cent, by the 

 gouger. 



The trees treated with water had 48 per cent, of their fruit injured by 

 the curculio and 75 per cent, by the ganger. This shows a slight sav- 

 ing in favor of the London purple treatment. The two untreated trees 



