Common Nut Weevil. 213 



angles of the cap cross each other, and into which the stem [g) 

 is inserted ; // shows the edge of the mortise; /, the lower wire; 

 X', the upper wire ; and /, half of one of the ribs ; the half of 

 the other being represented on the opposite side of the figure. 



A perspective view of the skeleton of the cap is represented 

 by VI, in which may be seen (at n) the hole in the tenon for the 

 peg (c), and the eye, a little farther up, for the hook [d). 



A perspective elevation of the stake, with the cap on, is I'epre- 

 sented aij). 



In constructing stakes of this kind, the workman will, of 

 course, adjust the length of the stake, and the diameter of the 

 cap, to the height and breadth of the plant to be protected. The 

 model sent might answer for pelargoniums, fuchsias, and other 

 green-house plants, when newly turned out into the borders. It 

 would also answer for dahlias, when newly turned out ; but for 

 full-grown dahlias the stake would require to be from 3 ft. to 

 5 ft. high. 



Caps of this sort, made sufficiently large, and with the stem 

 coming through the cupola, so as to serve as a handle, might, 

 perhaps, form a very good winter protection for cauliflowers, or 

 spring protection for ridged-out cucumbers, &c. ; and it might 

 serve to accelerate rhubarb in the open air, instead of hand- 

 glasses, wliich were so successfully used for that purpose by 

 Alexander M'Leary, Esq. A cap of basketwork, of the same 

 form as that just described, with a stem to support it, in order 

 that its rim might not rot by coming in contact with the ground, 

 might, perhaps, be used as a protection for cauliflowers and 

 other plants throughout the winter. — Cond. 



Art. VII. On the Balaninus nuciim, or common Nut Weevil. By 

 J. WiGHTON, Gardener to Lord Stafford at Cossey Hall ; with a 

 Note by J. O. Westwood, Sec. Ent. Soc. 



I HAVE never remarked in your pages any notice of the Cur- 

 ciilio niicum of Linnaeus (Balaninus nucum Ger7nar) attack- 

 ing vines ; nor is this insect mentioned among those which are 

 found on vines. I never observed it before the spring of the 

 present year; when, in the month of April, just as my vines 

 began to show fruit, the young shoots began to drop off". Sup- 

 posing that the mischief was caused by snails, I made diligent 

 search for these destructive enemies ; but, to my great surprise, 

 I discovered hundreds of the weevil underneath the old bark of 

 the vines. Had I not fortunately made this discovery, and suc- 

 ceeded in destroying the insects, the whole crop of fruit would 

 have been gone in a few days. The method I adopted to de- 

 stroy them was the following : — I took off all the old bark, 

 examined the vines carefully, and killed all I could find. Then 



p 3 



