132 



AGRICULTURE FOR BEGINNERS 



the ground to a depth of several inches. There it becomes 

 a pupa, and then a mature beetle that emerges to winter in 

 cracks and crevices. 



Treatment. Burn orchard trash which may serve as 

 winter quarters. When the curculio is laying its eggs, it 

 may be made to fall to the ground by jarring the tree. 

 After its fall it will remain quiet for a few minutes, " play- 

 ing possum." By spreading a sheet under the tree and 



jarring the tree we can 

 collect and destroy 

 enough insects to pre- 

 vent serious injury. Jar 

 the tree by striking a 

 dead branch or by strik- 

 ing the tree with a heavy 

 stick wrapped in cloth. 

 Neither of these methods 

 of jarring will injure the 

 bark. If you have many 



FIG. 125. LEAF GALLS OF PHYLLOXERA trees to treat >' ou wil1 

 ON CLINTON GRAPE LEAF save time by stretching 



sheets on frames. 



Fowls in the orchard do good by capturing the larvae 

 before they can burrow, while hogs will destroy the fallen 

 fruit before the larvae can escape. 



The Grape Phylloxera. This is a serious pest. You have 

 no doubt seen its galls upon the grape leaf. These galls 

 are caused by a small louse, the Phylloxera. Each gall 

 contains a female, which soon fills the gall with eggs. 

 These hatch into more females, which emerge and form 

 new galls, and so the Phylloxera spreads. 



