EXTERMINATING NOXIOUS INSECTS. 243 



to the ground, and feigns death. This peculiarity gives us 

 the only effectual method of destroying it, which is to jar 

 the trees every morning, and catch the insects upon a sheet 

 and destroy them. All fallen fruit must be gathered and 

 destroyed ; or hogs should be turned into the orchard and 

 allowed to consume every fallen apple or other fruit, while 

 the larvas are still in the fruit. The warmth that brings 

 out blossoms brings the curculios to their natural food and 

 breeding-places. They hide anywhere in the orchard where 

 there is a cover. During the warm days and nights of 

 April and May they go up the tree mostly crawling, it is 

 presumed to feed and to pair. 



How to Trap the Curculio. No possible way has as yet 

 been discovered to prevent the ravages of the curculio, ex- 

 cept the summary way of dealing with most other insects, 

 worms, and caterpillars " to catch 'em and kill 'em." Some 

 pomologists have reported excellent success in their efforts 

 to trap the Little Turk in the following manner. On the 

 contrary, others have attempted the same thing, and re- 

 ported no satisfactory results. Early in the spring, let the 

 surface of the ground round about every tree be rendered 

 as smooth as practicable by removing every sod and stone, 

 and crushing every clod. Make the ground very smooth 

 around the base of the tree. Do not leave a single hole 

 next the tree. Leave no place where the curculio can hide, 

 except under the shelter you provide. Now lay near to the 

 tree, and close to the ground, about four pieces to a tree, 

 either chip, or bark, board, lath, rag, corn-cob, old leather, 

 or any thing for a covert. The curculio will conceal itself 

 under this shelter, and may be destroyed by the thousand. 

 Go around every day and turn over each chip, killing every 

 curculio. They will generally adhere to the chip, but may 

 often be found on the ground under the chip. The first 

 warm day in spring that starts vegetable life calls the cur- 



