New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-15
ENEMIES or GRAIN STOCKS.
THE GRAVE PROBLEM DUE TO WEEVILS
AND MOTHS.
INVESTIGATIONS BY THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRI-
CULTURE AND THE REMEDIES RECOMMENDED


INVESTIGATIONS BY THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRI-
CULTURE AND THE REMEDIES RECOMMENDED
TREMENDOUS DAMAGE DONE.
Such vast inroads are being made in stored grain
In this country by the ever-increasng pest OF Wee
wills that the Department Of Agriculture has ava
kened to the necessity Of taking steps to stamp out
this insect scourage. The experts OF the Depart
nent are now making special study of the vari-
Gus varieties of the weevil. and considerable space
has been devoted to the subject in the recently
issued year book of the Department OF Agriculture
Millions Of dollars OF cereals stored in granaries
and elevators annually destroyed by weevils
and their ravages have reached such proportions
that the discovery OF the means to fight them Is
rapidly growing to be a matter OF serious iinpor-
lance.
In Texas alone 100000 represents the annual
loss caused by these destructive insects. and the
rats and weevils together have destroyed nearly 80
per cent Of the crop In that State. The
crop OF Alabama in 1893 was damaged to the extent
Of 81 OoO which 10 PEI cent OF its total value.
There are very many species Of the insect. both in
the form OF beetles and moths but only four Of the
species have multiplied in such numbers as to call
for special measures against them. Nearly all OF
them have been introduced from abroad, and,
they can live and breed for years in the same lot
OF grain their distribution 20 all parts Of the world
Is exceedingly easy In these days there IL not time
for n OF grain TO be seriously damaged Wnile
in transit but In the old days OF sailing ships whole
cargoes were sometimes destroyed before the yes
sells reached their destination.
IT DOESN'T HURT POULTRY.
Grain which is infested by weevils is totally unf,
for human food and II eaten often causes sero ~
Illness and even epdemcs. Horses sometimes
poisoned by IT. and swine find it unwhole-
some Poultry. however. eat 1t with impuny
and thrive upon IT, i. IL Chlttenden, OF the Bu-
reau Entomology. says in his report that single
pair OF granary weevi,s will produce ina wear up
ward of SIX thousand insects, and the 7&rns
yet more prolific Thus. even few inse is getting
into a granary elevator can. II the grain Is
stored for a long time. work considerable havoc.
Though all the insects feeding grain COM
monty known weevls the only true weevils
the "granary" and rice weeviis. The "granary'
weevil, calandria granaria. Is about the worst OF
the whole tribe and known and dreaded long
before the Christian 1t IL mentioned In the
"Georglcs OF Virgil as working havoc among stored
grain Originally the insect had wings. but hav
ing lived in grain for long, and consequently
having no for them. they have disappeared.
leaving only rudimentary traces behind. The grub
lives inside the kernel Itself. and Is Matched from
an egg inserted by the beetle The female uses her
snou, TO pierce the kernel and TO lodge the egg in
side where the destructive little worm when
Matched feed the starchy interior. This
terrible pest principally attacks wheat maize and
bar.ey but can live almost any kind OF grain.
SOUTHERN PEST.
The rice" weevil calandra oryza. II most de-
structlve In the Southern States. 1t originated In