210 THE GRAPE CULTURIST. 



ist might be called to it in case its numbers should 

 become so great as to render its destruction necessary. 

 It is about nine-tenths of an inch in length, broad, oval 

 in shape, of a lemon color above, glittering like bur- 

 nished gold on the top of the head and thorax ; the 

 under side of the body is copper colored, and thickly 

 covered with whitish wool ; and the legs are brownish 

 yellow, or brassy, shaded with green. They appear in 

 this vicinity in June. There are also four other native 

 species of the Cotalpas, but all inhabit the far Western 

 States except the one described. 



Grapevine Fidia (Fidiaviticidd). This is a small 

 chestnut-brown beetle covered with a grayish pubescence. 

 It is about three-eighths of an inch in length, with a 

 narrow thorax and small head ; but when abundant it 

 will soon cut vine leaves into shreds, and seriously check 

 the growth of the plants. This insect has the habit of 

 dropping to the ground when disturbed ; consequently 

 not easily caught, except by chickens, who seem to be 

 very fond of them, and for this reason fowls should be 

 allowed to have the run of vineyards where these pests 

 occur. These beetles may, however, be poisoned by 

 dusting the leaves with arsenical insecticides, or with 

 Persian insect powder. 



The Grape Curculio, or Weevil (Craponius 

 incBqualis). This is an indigenous pest which has prob- 

 ably bred in the wild grapes for many ages past, and 

 now occasionally attacks the cultivated varieties. My 

 first acquaintance with it began in 1869, when a corres- 

 pondent residing in Canada sent me a number of infested 

 berries, but later I learned that it was quite abundant in 

 Ohio, Illinois, and several other Western States. It is a 

 minute little pest, scarcely more than one-eighth of an 

 inch long ; of a black color with a grayish tint, and it is 

 about as broad as long. The females deposit their eggs 

 on the young berries during June and July, in our 



