CUR 



177 



CUR 



perhaps, have penetrated bat a very season will assist in destroying the in- 



short distance below the surface of the 

 soil. These making tlieir appearance 

 in midsummer, and finding no young 

 fruit, deposit their eggs in the young 

 branches of trees, etc. But it is unde- 

 niable that the season of the Plum- 



sects. 



2. Gathering the fruit and destroying 

 the larv(C. As the insect, in its larva; 

 cw grub form, is yet within the plums 

 when they fill prematurely from the 

 tree, it is a very obvious mode of ex- 



Weevil is early spring, and that most terminating the next year's brood to 



of the larva; which produce this annual gather these fallen fruits, daily, and 



Bwarm, remain in the soil during the feed them to swine, boil, or otherwise 



whole period intervening since the fall destroy them. In our own garden. 



of the previous year's fruit. 



where several years ago we suffered by 



"There are several modes of de- ] the Plum-Weevil, we have found that 

 stroying this troublesome insect. Be- this practice, pursued for a couple of 

 fore detailing them, we will again seasons, has been pretty effectual, 

 allude to the fact, that we have never Others have reported less favourably of 

 known an instance of its being trouble- it; but this, we think, arose from their 

 some in a heavy soil. Almost always , trying it too short a time, in a soil and 

 the complaint comes from portions of neighbourhood where the insect is very 

 country where the soil is light and abundant, ai\d where it consequently 

 sandy. The explanation of this would had souglit extensively other kinds of 

 seem to be that the compact nature of fruit besides the plum. 

 a clayey soil is not favourable to the ! " A more simple and easy way of 

 passage or life of this insect, while the ' covering the dilhculty, where there is 

 warm and easily permeable surface of a plum orchard or enclosure, is that of 

 sandy land nurses every insect through 

 its tender larva; state. Plum trees 

 growing in hard trodden court-yards, 

 usually bear plentiful crops. Follow- 

 ing these hints some persons have de- 

 terred the Plum-Weevil by paving be- 



turning in swine and fowls during the 

 whole season, when the stung plums 

 are dropping to the ground. The fruit, 

 and the insects contained in it, will 

 thus be devoured together. This is an 

 excellent expedient for the farmer, who 

 neath the trees; and we have lately bestows his time grudgingly on the cares 



seen a most successful experiment 

 which consisted in spreading beneath 

 the tree as far as the branches ex- j 

 tended a mortar made of stiflf clay 

 about the thickness of two or three 

 inches — which completely prevented 

 the descent of the insect into the earth. 

 This is quickly and easily applied, and ' 

 may therefore be renewed every season 

 until it is no longer found necessary. 



" The other modes of destroying 

 the Plum-Weevil are the following : — 



1 . " Shaking the tret and killing the 



of the garden. 



3. " The use of salt. A good deal of 

 attention has lately been drawn to the 

 use of common salt, as a remedy for 

 the Curculio. Trials have been made 

 with this sul)Stance in various parts of 

 the country, where scarcely a ripe 

 plum was formerly obtained, with tlie 

 most complete success. On the other 

 hand, some persons, after testing it, 

 have pronounced it of no value. Our 

 own experience is greatly in favour of 

 its use. We believe that, properly 



beetles. Watch the young fruit, and you applied, it is an effectual remedy 

 will perceive when the insect makes its against the Curculio, while it also pro- 

 appearance, by its punctures upon them, motes the growth of the tree, anil keeps 

 Spread some sheets under the tree, and the soil in that state most congenial to 

 strike the trunk pretty sharply several its productiveness. The failures that 

 times with a wooden mallet. The in- '• have arisen in its use, have, doubtless, 

 sects will quickly fall, and should be grown out of an imperfect application, 



killed immediately. This should be 

 repeated daily for a week, or so long 

 as the insects continue to make their 

 appearance. Repeated trials have 



either in regard to the quantity or the 

 time of applying it. 



" In the directions usually given, it 

 seems only considered necessary to 



proved, beyond question, that this apply salt, pretty plentifully, at any 

 rather tedious mode is a very effectual 

 one, if persisted in. Coops of chickens 



placed about under the trees at this would destroy insects therein, in any 

 12 



season. If the soil be thoroughly satu- 

 rated with salt, it is prol)al)le that it 



