V] PEACH ^VEEVII. 81 



Peach weevii,. — This is a small beetle, which 

 attacks the fruit much after the manner of the 

 earwig — at night only. Hence night is the only 

 time when it may be caught. 



Apricots, apples, cherries, plums, and pears 

 are all liable to be infested with a small grub 

 during the first stages of growth. This grub is 

 easily detected, as it generally shows itself in the 

 young and tender leaves, and hides itself between 

 two leases or curls up in one leaf. It is also 

 found in the flowers sometimes. There is but 

 one effectual way of destroying this insect, viz. 

 by picking them from the leaves or flowers and 

 killing them. 



Ants are very annoying and destructive insects, 

 and should be closely watched. When fruit trees 

 are in flower the ants will secrete themselves in 

 the centre of the flowers and eat away a large 

 number of stamens, thus depriving the flowers of 

 the pollen which nature provides for fertilization ; 

 and again, when the fruit is ripe, the ants will eat 

 much of it if allowed to go on unchecked. The 

 remedy against ants is as foUows : Get a piece 

 of soft chalk, or whiting, and rub it on the stems 

 of the trees, making a ring all round the stems 

 (and also the stake, should one be affixed to the 

 tree) to the depth of 2 or 3 ins. As long as this 

 remains dry the ants will be quite unable to pass 



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