The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-10-24
WAR ON THE WEEvlL.
The Government to Proceed Against The
Insect Pests.

Insect Pests.
The pernicious weevils are making
themselves so obnoxious in this coun-
try that experts of the department of
agriculture are now engaged in making
a special study of them. Every year
they destroy many millions of dollars
worth of stored cereals in granaries
and elevators. In fact, the question
how to fight them is one of serious
and growing economic importance.
Strange to say, very little scientific at
tention has been directed to these in
sects up to date, and not much is known
about them. 1t is reckoned that they
cause an annual loss of over one mil
lion dollars in Texas alone, and in 1893
! the corn crop of Alabama was dam
! aged by them TO the extent of one mil
! lion six hundred and seventy thou
! sand dollars.
There are about forty species of these
! insects, some Of which are beetles and
! others moths. Nearly all of them are
assisted immigrants, having been inn
! ported from abroad in cargoes of
grain. In this manner they have been
distributed by commerce to all parts of
| the world.
| Three of the species actually live in
the kernels, while the others feed on the
starchy contents. Grain infested by
them is unfit for human consumption
and has been known to cause serious i'll
ness. 1t is poisonous to horses and is
not wholesome even for swine, Pop%z
try, however, find it palatable and nu-
tritious. The moths especially are so
prolific that the progeny of single pair
in twelyemonth will number many
thousands, capable of destroying sew
eral tons of grain. Fortunately, the in
crease of these pests is checked to some
extent by natural enemies, among
which are spiders that inhabit MILF
and granaries. In the fields they are
proved upon by birds and bats.
One of the worst of these insects is
the familiar ''granary weevil," which
is mentioned in the Georges of Virgil.
Its ravagcs made it known long before
the Christian era. 1t is native to the
region of the Mediterranean. Having
been domesticated for SO long time, it
has lost the use of its wings. The
female punctures the kernel with her
snout and inserts an egg from which
is Matched a little worm that lives in
the hull and feeds on the Starchy in
terror.
Quite as bad as this beetle is a moth
that comes from the Mediterranean re-
gion also. The larva, which is known
in the United States as the fly weevil,'
does most injury to corn and wheat.
In six months grain infested by it loses
forty per cent. in weight and seventy
five per cent. of it's starchy matter. In
cidentally, it is rendered totally unfit
for food, and bread made from wheat
infested by the insect is said to have
caused an epidemic recently in France.
The pest was noticed in North Carolina
as early as l72S.
Another wicked imported bug is the
"1ce weevel." 1t originated i'll Indis,
whence it has been distributed by com
merce all over the world. At present it
does as much harm as any other known
insect, being a serious pest i'll the
southern states. In the tropics gener-
!; ally it does enormous damage. For
, merry, when long voyages were neces-
sary in importing grain from the east,
it frequently destroyed whole cargoes,
having plenty of time to multiply. The
adult beetles of this species cause much
trouble in storehouses and groceries
by invading boxes of crackers, cakes
yeast cakes and macaroni and barrels
, and bins of -four and meal. They can
subsist for months on sugar, and
} sometimes they burrow into ripenin2
peaches and grapes.
A new grain-destroyer has recently
attracted attention in this country
and has earned for itself the title OF
''scourge of the -four mill" 1t is the
Mediterranean flour moth" The cater
pillar spins webs which make the foui
! c<otted and lumpy, so that the machin'
cry in the mills becomes clogged and
has to be stopped Cor a considerable
time. The larvae prefer -four or meal
hut they flourish also on bran, prepared
cereal foods and crackers.
This subject is considered of such i'm
portance that much space will be de-
voted to it in the forthcoming Year
, Book of the department of agriculture
The remarks made therein are based
, upon recent study of weevils and Their
habits by Mr.. +. H. Chittenden, of the
bureau of entomology. Farmers are
| informed that the best remedy for sucl
: mischief is bisulphide of carbon, which
may be applied il moderately tight
bins by simply pouring the liquid into
shallow pans or op bits of cotton
waste and distributing them about OF
| the surface of the grain.
The stuff rapidly evaporates, and the
yapor, being heavier than air, descends
and perneates the mass of grain, kill
ing all insects as well as rats and mice
which it may contain.-N. Y. World.
He Stacked.
! A travelling man lust home from ;