DIPTEKA. 89 



olives that are left, or in the earth, according to the climate, 

 are still in these fruits. If a first operation were not sufficient 

 to destroy them all, it should be repeated the following year. 

 The sacrifice entailed by this practice would be amply com- 

 pensated by a succession of good crops and the certainty of 

 a sure and permanent profit. In fact, by an early gathering 

 at least half a crop of oil is still obtained ; whereas by waiting 

 for the usual time of gathering the olives, sufficient time is 

 left for the larvae of the dacus to eat into their parenchyma, 

 which takes away the little oil that they might have given 

 if they had been destroyed. This early gathering has also the 

 advantage of causing the destruction of a great number of larvse, 

 which will be so much towards diminishing the means of repro- 

 duction of the fly. 



