of this work has been in the hands of Mr. Samuel ITeiishaw, of Boston, 

 for the past two years, and tlie tirst i)art, Just now being printed, com- 

 prises tlie writings of B. D. Walsli and C. V. Kiley. 



Bulletin on Root-knot Disease in Florida. — Tllis bulletin, mentioned in 

 onr Special Notes in the last number of Insect Life, has been dehiyed 

 for the plates, which the ])rinter could not have executed untd after 

 July 1. We hope soon, however, to hare it ready for distribution. 



AKSENICAL POISONS FOR THE PLUM AND PEACH CURCULIO. 



By S. A. Forbes 



The following report of results of my recent experimental work on the 

 common peach curculio is intended to correct and complete a reporter's 

 summary of remarks made in August, 188S, at a meeting of the Cen- 

 tral Illinois Horticultural Society, at Champaign, as republished in the 

 last Report of the U. S. Entomologist, page 75. The experiments there 

 alluded to were not generalized by me, but were described as merely 

 preliminary to a much more elaborate series which I have since carried 

 through. 



The object of these experiments has been to ascertain some details of 

 the food and feeding habits of the curculio ami to test its sensibility to 

 arsenical poisons when distributed on the trees which the insect fre- 

 quents. In the case of the peach it was important also to find what 

 amount of these poisons the leaves might receive without marked injury. 



FEEDING EXPEEIMENTS. 



June 15, 188S, plum curculios confined with plum leaves. June IG, 

 one observed making a deep, sharp, oblong excavation in the midrib; 

 similar work on other midribs, petioles, and stems. Beetles also seen 

 gnawing the surfaces of the leaves, especially the fresher terminal ones. 

 Leaves removed and green plums substituted. June 1!), ])Iams ])ep- 

 l)ered with holes, some containing eggs, others not. July 2, fresh lot of 

 beetles imprisoned with both leaves aiid green plums. The next day 

 both had been eaten, the plums perhaps the more freely. 



Several examples taken April 14, 1889, before peach trees were in 

 bloom, were proven by dissection to have last fed on dead vegetation, as 

 shown by the absence of chlorophyl and the presence of some of the 

 fnngi ot decomposition. Curculios confined April 19, with both dead 

 and living peach leaves, fed only on the latter, not having touched the 

 dead leaves at the end of three days. Peach blossoms being placed iu 

 the cage, with fresh leaves also, A[)ril 22, both were freely eaten at once, 

 the blossoms being, however, evidently preferred. Both calyx and 



