INSECTS INJURIOUS. 429 



knots, and washing the wounds either with salt or copperas-water. 

 The latter is best. And if, also, the whole tree be watered with a 

 solution of one ounce of coppei*as to two gallons of water, the knots 

 will disappear. 



Defoliation of both seedling stocks and bearing trees, in the 

 months of July and August, we believe is caused by want of some 

 specific ingredient in the soil. We have cured it by dressing Avith 

 ashes, and by watering with copperas-water as above named. When 

 animal manures and salt have been used, we have never seen the 

 foliage drop. 



Rot or Decay of Fruit is often a very serious drawback to the 

 sanguine expectations of the fruit-grower. We have supposed it to 

 arise from atmospheric influence, and to pervade the fruit in like 

 manner as fever and ague does the human frame, but have been 

 compelled to relinquish this theory. Latterly we are inclined to the 

 belief that it has its origin in too great exhaustion of the supplies of 

 the tree, by reason of excess of quantity ; as trees that have come 

 under our notice, on which only a moderate quantity of fruit was per- 

 mitted to mature have apparently been free, while those overloaded, 

 and only moderately, or not additionally, supplied with food, have 

 decayed. 



Our friend. Professor Kirtland, with some friends of science, have, 

 however, lately pronounced it a S23ecies of fungus. 



Insects Injurious. The ^geria, which is noted under head of 

 peaches, sometimes, but rarely, attacks the plum. We refer to that 

 head for its remedy. The Curculio, or Plum Weevil {Rhynchcenus 

 Nenuphar)^ is an insect so destructive as in some sections to have 

 caused orchardists to cut down their plum trees and replant with 

 different fruit. Again, there are sections where the insect, althouf'h 

 known, appears not to increase, or injure fruit, materially to affect 

 the crop. It was unknown in the Western States until within a few 

 years past, but now pervades all sections, even to destruction often- 

 times of the wild plum. It has been thoroughly desccribed in " Har- 

 ris's Treatise on Insects ;" and so much is written yearly relative 

 thereto, that one entire book of four hundred pages would not con- 

 tain it. Our accompanying figure represents the insect in its natural 

 size, {. e., about one quarter of an inch long, of a grayish 

 brown color, the wing-covers forming two little humps, ^^^' 

 giving a rounded appearance to it, resembling a ripe hemp- 

 seed. The head has a long rostrum, beak, or snout, projecting, with 

 which it punctures the fruit, as represented by the crescent-shaped 

 mark on the fruit in our engraving. Early in the month of June, 

 the curculio commences his task of propagation, and his mark will 



