448 Salt and Lime for the Curculio. 



Experiment 3. The same as the first, except the pot was 

 filled with soil only. Result the same. 



The pots all stood in the garden, exposed to the weather, 

 which was rather wet with frequent showers. They were 

 all wet and examined at the same time, about five weeks 

 after placing the plums in the pots, when there were perfect 

 insects in every stage of formation, from the white grub, near 

 the bottom of the pots, to the perfect beetle on the surface, 

 ready to fly. The salt had all washed into the soil, and 

 there was no difference in the appearance of the insects in 

 the three pots. 



Experiment 4. Three bowls, one with salt on the sur- 

 face, one with lime, and one with nothing but soil, were 

 treated in every respect like Nos. 1, 2, and 3, excepting they 

 were placed under a shed so as not to be exposed to rains. 

 Results the same. ' 



Experiment 5. Curculios put in a tumbler, four plums 

 put with them, as they came from the trees, with one cov- 

 ered with fine salt. On the second day the salt had dis- 

 solved so as to leave the plum wet, with a strong brine, 

 when it was punctured by the insects in numerous places, 

 and eggs deposited in the same manner as in the plums not 

 salted. In another tumbler plums and insects were placed 

 in the same manner, excepting one plum was covered with 

 fresh lime. This was punctured in many places, and eggs 

 deposited the first day, 



Mrs. Benedict also made experiments by covering the soil 

 about one-quarter of an inch with fine salt, and placing the 

 grubs as they came from the plums on the salt. They inva- 

 riably worked through the salt and went into the soil, in 

 about fifteen minutes, without any apparent injury. 



I was at the house of Mr. Benedict one week since, when 

 Mrs. Benedict showed me a large tumbler, about two-thirds 

 filled with garden soil, m which she had placed the grubs 

 taken from the pots in the garden, when emptied about three 

 weeks previous. The tumbler was covered with a small 

 plate, and had plums placed on the top of the soil, which 

 had been often changed for fresh ones from the trees. There 



