20 THE DESTRUCTIVE SPHINX. 



EXUVIA OF THE PUPA. 



The pupa state continues from the tenth of July to 

 the latter end of that month, or beginning of August. 



Mr Worth examined his fruit trees on the tenth of 

 July, when he obtained twenty follicles, and about 

 thirty larvae ; of the follicles, four were empty, the 

 insect having assumed the winged state. The larvae 

 had all arrived near the surface of the ground, for the 

 purpose of undergoing their great change. 



Against the depredations of this insect, many 

 supposed remedies have been prescribed, such as 

 the application of hot water, tanner's bark, and flower 

 of sulphur, to the root of the tree, and soft soap and 

 lime-wash to the trunk ; but it is obvious, that no 

 application of this kind can injure the insect without 

 coming in contact with it, whilst it remains in the 

 egg, or infantile state, on the outside of the tree ; for, 

 after having penetrated to the interior, no superficial 

 application can affect it. The various substances 

 placed around the root of the tree, such as ashes 

 and sand, the uncovering of its base during winter, 

 covering again for the summer, are also pronounced 

 by Mr Worth, from his experience, to be inefficient, 

 and even injurious to the health of the tree. 



