Feb.] THE ORCHARD. 445 
hang upon the tree. These destructive insects continue their 
depredations from the first of May until autumn. Our fruits col- 
lectively estimated must thereby be depreciated more than half 
their value. 
" It is supposed the curculio is not only injurious above ground, 
but also in its retreat, below the surface of the earth, by preying on 
the roots of our fruit trees. We know that beetles have, in some 
instances, abounded in such a manner as to endanger whole forests. 
Our fruit trees often die, from manifest injuries done to the roots, by 
insects, and by no insects more probably than the curculio. In dis- 
tricts where this insect abounds, cherry trees and apple trees, which 
disconcert it most above, appear to be the special objects of its ven- 
geance below the surface of the earth. 
" These are serious evils to combat which, every scientific en- 
quirer is loudly called upon to exert his talents; every industrious 
farmer to double his diligence; and all benevolent characters to con- 
tribute their mite. 
" Naturalists have been accustomed to destroy vicious insects, by 
employing their natural enemies to devour them. 
" We are unacquainted with any tribe of insects able to destroy 
the curculio. .All the domestic animals, however, if well directed, 
contribute to this purpose. Hogs, in a special manner are qualified 
for the work of extermination. This voracious animal, if suffered 
to go at large in orchards, and among fruit trees, devours all the 
fruit that falls, and among others the curculiones, in the maggot 
state, which may be contained in them. Being thus generally des- 
troyed in the embryo state, there will be few or no bugs to ascend 
from the earth in the spring, to injure the fruit. Many experien- 
ced farmers have noted the advantage of hogs running in their 
orchards. Mr. Bordley, in his excellent ' Essays on Husbandry,' 
takes particular notice of the great advantage of hogs to orchards: 
and although he attributes the benefits derived from the animals 
to the excellence of their manure, and their occasional rooting about 
the trees, his mistake in this trivial circumstance does by no means 
invalidate the general remarks of this acute observer. The fact is 
hogs render fruits of all kinds fair and unblemished, by destroying 
the curculio. 
" The ordinary fowls of a farm yard are great devourers of beetles. 
Poultry in general are regarded as carnivorous in summer, and 
therefore cooped sometimes before they are eaten. Every body 
knows with what avidity ducks seize on the tumble bug (Scarabceus 
carnifex), and it is probable the curculio is regarded by all the fowls 
as an equally delicious morsel. Therefore it is, that the smooth 
stone fruits, particularly, succeed much better in lanes and yards, 
where the poultry run without restraint, than in gardens and other 
enclosures, where the fowls are excluded. 
" All the terebinthinate substances, with camphor and some 
others, are said to be very offensive to insects generally. Upon this 
principle, General T. Robinson, of Naaman's creek, suspends an- 
nually little bits of board, about the size of a case knife, dipped in 
tar, on each of his plum trees — From three to five of these strips 
T 
