Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1823-05-29

9,f6tttuctutSC, &c.
From the Westches,er (Pa) Republican.
WEEVILS.
Remarks on M,ir habits, and the mean

REMARKS on th,ir habits, and me means
Ct destroying them.
As much injory 10 done 10 barns to
the different kinds of grain, by these in
sects, | wish the society to devote some
attention to the most eficacious method
Of destroying them or preventing their
rayages. | have endeavored, for several
years, to become acquainted with their
habits, and am willing to state the result
Of my conclusions, hoping it MAJ coca
sion, from some ADLER pen, more impor-
tant information. | believe they con-
tinae residents for life, Of the building
in which chance may place them, and
that they do not migrate from one barn
to another, unless carried thIther; and
that during the winter they lie in 3 DOR
mant state near the ground. | have
found numbers of them at that season
on the lower sides of the boards which
were living under the managers in sta
bles. Instinct no doabt teaches them
at the commencement Of cold weather
to seek a retreat, where they may lie Sc
| cure, and where they will be somewhat
sheltered from intense cold. Had they
remained in the nov. on threshing the
grain, they, being in dormant state
would probably be destroyed. About
the middle of the fifth month, May, they
begin to travel. crawling up the walls
| and in every direction. in search of food
If any grain be in the barn, they find
it; and have seen as many as eigh
or ten on one grain of Indian corn, tht
eye of which they at first consume
When wheat, rye, or barley, is brought
into the barn, they penetrate the NOW
and apprehend, dsrosite their eggs IL
the grain, which serves for food for the
young insects, till they arrive at nearly
the size of the parents; probably the
sweating and warmth of the NOW much
assist in the depositins OF the eggs and
in bringing the insects to perfection.
AS a proof that the eggs is deposited
in the grain. it will be found that il
| wheat be threshed some short time after
harvest, in barns where weevils abound
when it will be very little eaten BY them,
and put into bags, and perhaps few oI
the insects then 10 be seen that in a
few weeks it will be very much eaten,
and numbers of weevils IN the bags.
Having thus briefly stated my opinion
of their habits, | w,l suggest few pro-
positions FOR destroying them. The
most eflicacious mode, | apprehend.
would be to stack the grain out for onf
or two years, and keep all kinds of il
from lying in the barn, duriss the sum
mel season; By this means they would b'
deprived OF food aud Of suitable plac,
to deposite their young. :.
| Many Of them may be destroyed b,
having nothing in the barn from tn,
| time they leave their winter retreat, til
harvest; except about a double hsndfsl
of indian corn in several different places
Numbers of them will go to the heap.
for food. then shout once in two day
riddle them in some clean place with ,
wheat riddle, the insects will fall
through, which may be gatherefup suC
thrown into the hre.--Another method
is to leave little straw in the stables
at this season, and before harvest gath
er it all up carefully, and draw it on
into Eeld; many weevils will thus b:
taken out and perish. is said, though
i, have never experienced it, that the'
have great antipathy to hemp; that /
few layers of it, spread among the graii
at the time of putting it in the barn, viii
} prevent their ravages. No doubt mem
, bers OF the society, and others, are pos
sessed of facts on this subject which
would be highly interesting 10 those wh,
are troubled with these insects abou
their barns. tits hoped that they vii
be induced, thro' the medium Of the So
ciety or otherwise. to make them public
as it might be the means of saving many
bushels of grain annually for the benefit
OF the community.
ISAAC sHARpLRss.
| A writer in the American Farmer
Igives the following directions for getting
rid OF this troublesome insect:
| Stack or barrack the grain small dis.
lance from the barn, and put a few
branches of JamestOtrn 1resd on the
ground, or on ne first round OF sheaves;
no weevil will then approach it. If,
however, it should be attacked on the
tthreshing floor, or after putting it in the
Igranary, cover itwitlI Stacked lime.
nave by this precautiOn got rid of this
IPest, after many years experience.