58 INSECTS INJURIOUS TO FRUIT. 



least. The next year, about the middle of June, I visited Mr. L. to ascertain how it 

 was that he and I should have such a different experience. His trees were white 

 with this lime mixture they had been fairly deluged with it ; but the fruit was badly 

 punctured. Fresh marks were everywhere visible, gum was exuding from others, 

 and many were already on the ground containing the grubs well advanced in growth. 

 Mr. Ludlow acknowledged promptly that it had proved a failure that season, and 

 seemed very much at a loss to understand it. At that time I was not aware of the 

 influence of droughts, and did not inquire whether the season, when his remedy had 

 apparently been successful, had not been preceded by such weather. 



Whether Mr. L. ever published an account of this failure I do not know ; but 

 he certainly should have done so, that those who had been induced to try the mixture 

 from his recommendation should have been undeceived. A prompt report of failures 

 is often of more value than the reports of success. 



In the Cultivator of May, 1851, will be found the following on the subject of 

 Lime for the Curculio, by the Horticultural Editor, J. J. Thomas : 



" Much having been said in favor of lime as a remedy for the Curculio, and as the time is approaching 

 for its yearly assault on young fruit, the knowledge of past experiments becomes desirable. A near neighbor 

 who is a distinguished fruit raiser tried lime in nearly all imaginable ways last year, and with the following 

 results : Nectarines^ Plums, and Apricots were thoroughly syringed with thin lime wash ; and as each 

 successive rain and heavy dew carried it off from the smooth surface of the young fruit, it was re-applied as 

 often as necessary. Special attention was given to the Nectarines, which for six years of blossoming had 

 yielded no crop ; and to be still more secure against this, the lime was applied carefully with brush to each 

 young Nectarine. About three days in the aggregate were spent in this way ; and the result was, that the 

 full number of six entire specimens of the Nectarine were saved from destruction out of the whole orchard. 

 But on further inquiry it appeared that these six all grew on a tree under which a young calf was kept 

 confined during the season of operation ; and to whose presence, chiefly, these specimens owed their escape. 



" The lime was believed to have a repelling influence, and some hopes were at first entertained of its 

 efficacy ; but it was soon discovered that the coating was disregarded, and the eggs were thrust through it 

 into the green pulp. The whole trees, with their entire crop of leaves whitened with lime, did not present 

 a very ornamental appearance. v 



" The application of lime appears to have been elsewhere in some cases quite successful. It becomes a 

 subject for inquiry whether any collateral influence assisted it; whether the favorable result was not owing to 

 something else, and was erroneously ascribed to the lime." 



Friend Thomas, with such evidence before him, should have taken the respon- 

 sibility of pronouncing judgment in this case, and announced that lime was of no use 



