25 



until long' afterwards, and not infrequently it happens that when nuts 

 are stored in barrels, boxes, or similar receptacles, some nuts which 

 were apparently sound when placed therein, are found with one or more 

 holes in their shells, while the disgusting grubs can be seen in great 

 numbers at the bottoms of the receptacles. The size of the exit holes 

 varies from one-sixteenth to one-eighth inch, the smallest ones doubtless 

 being made by a single larva of the smaller species of weevil, and the 

 larger by the larger weevil, or perhaps by several of the smaller 

 species. Injury varies according to the number of larvae present and 

 the size of the nut, as will presently be more fully explained (see 

 fig. 5.) 



During comparatively recent years the culture of chestnuts has 

 assumed considerable proportions, especiauy in the States of Pennsyl- 

 vania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Delaware, and has taken a new 

 impetus since the extensive introduction and development of Japanese 

 and European varieties. These are grafted on American seedlings or 

 native stocks, and thus many nearl}^ valueless trees on equally unprom- 

 ising soil are converted into sources of profit greater by far than if 

 the same land were planted with other crops which could be grown. 

 In short, were it not for the "worms" and "blights," chestnut grow- 

 ing might develop into a most profitable industry in regions adapted 

 to it. 



RECENT INJURIES. 



During 1903 we received, among other reports of losses by nut 

 weevils, two from Mount Joy, Pa., which are in brief as follows: 



April 20 it was reported that chestnuts were grown very exten- 

 sively in that vicinity, one firm having as many as 800 acres under 

 cultivation. The chinquapin weevil was known to our informant, who 

 identified it among others of its genus, but subsequently it was learned 

 by the receipt of specimens that the chestnut weevil was also present. 

 He noticed that they appeared about the middle of July, remaining 

 in the orchards until the first of September. He calculated that 

 usually one in every four nuts was infested, and observed as many as 

 thirty } r oung grubs in single large nuts of the Paragon variety. 



In November our second correspondent corroborated the above 

 statements, reporting that one firm had recent^ lost from 15 to 20 

 per cent of their chestnut crop of 800 acres from the ravages of 

 weevils. From 75,000 to 80,000 grafts were growing there. Paragon 

 nuts containing both forms of weevils were received, with report that 

 from forty to fifty grubs were found in one nut, indicating the aston- 

 ishing prevalence of the insects in that region. In such nuts eveiy 

 bit of meat was consumed, and some of the weaker weevils were 

 starved. In the smaller nuts, one or two worms to a nut was the rule. 

 Native nuts adjoining the orchard under cultivation were admitted to 

 be neglected. 



