X X 



FRUIT CULTURE. 

 The Plum Curculio. 



1103 



This insect is without doubt the greatest enemy the plum- 

 grower has to contend with. It, is a small, rough, grayish, or black- 

 ish beetle, about one fifth of an inch long, with a black, shining 

 hump on the middle of each wing case, and behind this a more or 



Fig. 1520. — Small Caterpillar of the Pimpernel., Fig. 1521.— Southern Cabbage Butterfly. 



less distinct band of a dull ochre-yellow color, with some whitish 

 marks about the middle ; the snout is rather short. 



When the Plum Curculio is alarmed, it suddenly folds its legs 

 close to its body, turns its snout under its breast, and falls to the 

 ground, wherfe it remains motionless, feigning death. Advantage 

 is taken of this peculiarity to catch and destroy the insect. A sheet 

 is spread under the tree, and the tree and its branches are suddenly 

 jarred, when the beetles fall on the, sheet, where they may be gath- . 

 ered up and destroyed. 



The Grape- Vine Bark-Louse. 



During the month of June there are sometimes found on the 



branches of the 

 grape-vine, brown, 

 hemispherical 

 scales, from under 

 .one end of which 

 there protrudes a 

 cotton - like s u b- 

 stance, which in- 

 creases in size until 



the beginning of July, by which time it has become a mass about 



four times as large as the scale. 



These scales are! not usually found in any great abundance, and 



may be readily scraped off with a knife or other suitable instrument, 



which should be done before the young lice escape. 



Fig. 1522.— Larva and Chrysalis of Papilio Machaon. 



