Evening journal., 1901-10-23
Ely WEEVIL
Is Destructive
State EntOlnOlOgiSt Tells
Farmers How to Kill
the Pest

During the past few weeks r. Dwight
Sanderson. entOmolOgist at the Della
ware College Agricultural Experiment.
Station. has received many complaints
of injury TO wheat stacked In the NOV
by small moths known as the "hy
weevil"
In a bulletin on the subject Just is
sued by Mr.. Sanderson TO the farmers
OF the State. he says that the impress
sion seems to be common that the wee
vii is a new grain pest. but such is by
no means the case
The grain moth was as common in
Delaware at least fifteen years ago and
doubtless was known here many years
prior to that. The insect is an impor-
tation from Europe and receives it's
name from the fact that I'm 1860 1t was
found to swarm in all the wheat fields
and granaries of AngumOis and OF the
neighbOring provinces (of France). the
afflicted inhabitants being thereby de-
prived Of their principal staple. and
threatened with famine and pestilence
from want of wholesome bread" The
insect was first noted i'm this country
In North Carolina and In
1880 and in 1896 was so
abundant as to eXtlnguish lighted
candle when a granary was entered at
night. It is essentially a southern in
sect. In the Gulf States being very in
furious to stored corn. wheat, oats. rye.
barley, sorghum seed, and even COW
peas, are subject to injury.
AS a preventive against the vista
ton of the weevil Mr. Sanderson adj
vises farmers as follows:
"Thresh as soon after harvest as nos
sible and bulk in tight bins or in good
sacks. tBy tight bins are meant those
when viii not permit the entrance or
exit OF the moths-unfortlnately but
rev are so constructed I'm Delawarel
II the grain is dry when harvested. IL
may be threshed at once: if not. as
soon as it is in good condition. If the
sacked grain is infested. there viii not
DE wormy kernels sufficient to heat the
grain The moths cannot make their
way out and are stihed. Nothing can
come in from outside and the grain
remains safe. The threshing itself
Kills many of the insects and lars and
rubs off many of the eggs. If binned.
the bins should be tight and the grain
should be tested occasionally for any
appreciable heating. If IL heats per-
cepubly 1t indicates considerable in
hesitation and It should be treated with
carbon bisulhde at once, used al the
rate or one dram per cubic foot. or
one pound for $50 cubic feet
Tho bisulfde should be placed in
shallow plates or pans on top OF the
grain, preferably not over a pound in
vessel. and the bin should then be
covered with boards and allowed to
remain at least twenty-four hours. Az
ter treating keep the grain covered to
prevent re-infestatlon.
Barns and storehOuses should be
cleaned up and freed from all loose
and scattered grain-chickens will heir
In this-before April 1, so that nc
moths will be allowed to develop and
infest the grain i'm the field. Place.
where grain has been in shock tn,
previous season should be cleaned M
by the aid of chickens. Thus If there
is any probability of grain being in
Tested it should be kept tightly covered
in the spring so as not to permit tn,
spread Of the moths to the fields"
Mr. Sanderson desires to ascertain
how extensive and serious the iniur,
has been by the grain moth and othe
grain insects during the present an,
last season He will be great,
obliged to those having had grain in
iured If they will write him concerning
the amount and nature OF injury done
what remedies have been tried an,
with what success.