EXTERMINATING NOXIOUS INSECTS, 



237 



ed at the right season of the Fig. so. 



year. The full-grown larvae 

 must be crushed by hand or 

 with the insect-crushers (Fig. 

 89), which may be made of 

 wood, or be purchased at hard- 

 ware stores. 



. The Curculio (Rhynchmnus 

 nenuphar), " Little Turk." 

 The great mass of mankind are 

 comparatively ignorant with re- 

 gard to the real character and 

 habits of this depredator. We 

 pretend to know but little about 

 it. And yet many who assume 



to be familiar With what is called I^t-crushers, or pincers. 



the " Curculio," do not know any more about it than the 

 writer. We have the Apple Curculio and the Plum Curcu- 

 lio, and several other kinds of beetles called " the Curculio." 

 But we have searched in vain through all our horticultural 

 and pomological journals to find a description or an allu- 

 sion to the curculio, in which the difference between the 

 two is pointed out. So much has been written 'on the 

 habits of this one little insect, and on the best means of 

 protecting our fruits from its injurious work, that one al- 

 most tires of repeating those established facts in its history 

 which all who are interested should know. There are yet 

 some mooted points to be settled in the natural history of 

 our curculio. There are actually many fruit-growers who 

 do not know a curculio when they see one. The curculio 

 is such a formidable enemy to our choice fruit, that every 

 country boy ought to be taught to understand the char- 

 acter of this depredator, so that he may not be in doubt 

 when he meets with one, any more than when he sees a 



