The Washington herald., 1908-01-05

ever seen a bO0kwoTm. that is a real
b0okwOrm. Of the six-legged variety.
Once Rarity.
In fact, their depredations in this eoun-
try were at one time so little known that
a Philadelphia, writing in 1871, announced
as a great curiosity that there was one
library in that city containing "a book
perforated by this insect" Perhaps in
time the Philadelphia gentleman arrived
with customary Quaker City deliberate
ness at the knowledge that there are
many books all over this country which
have been eaten by b0okwOrms.
What Is more, there are plenty Of them
still being eaten. The writer recently un-
packed some books which had been boxed
for several years, and found one leather
covered volume perforated with several
very pretty designs.
The worm was not 10 be found, how
ever. 1t rarely is. Many Librarians have
discovered the winding holes by which
the insect burrows into the book. but the
insect itself mysteriOusly disappears.
The Rev J. F Y. O'COnor, formerly
librarian of Georgetown College. and aft
erWard of St Francis Xavier, in this
tftts MVIl1 otElt " Atuhf NIT pei 1NsiutAg
as many Of this kind Of bookworm as
anybody has. He found seventy-two
specimens In various libraries. most Of
them alive" and az work eating good
books.
Not a Worm at All.
He says that the bookw0rm is not q
worm at all. but the larva Of certain
insects Of the order Of sheath winged
beetles. He found in books seven differ
ent varieties Of these larvae or Of the
full-grown beetles The most voracious
of them all was about an eighth Of an
inch long. "a soft. white, six-leg worm
covered with bristles.'
OF the full-grown beetle Of this same
variety. sltodrepa panicea, he found
twenty specimens It is very small and
brown in color. Another worm with a
black head is quite common, But no
matter what the shape OF color, their
appetite for books seems to be pretty
much the same.
II a person has never seen a worm
eaten book. he viii be amazed at the
absolute ruin which these little insects,
working quite unsupported. can create.
"a NfetfNs htAa btNhE niiihl AiuhE GNt-
fered most are the oldest books: those,
indeed. which we can least afford to lose
There are two reasons why these old
volumes have been most ravaged. IN the
first place they are less frequently han
died. Many Of them were either lost or
did not receive a thought for scores Of
years
Nobody touched them. Nobody except
1 hg -fsrry L.
story told by many authorities Of a book
worm having eaten straight through
tweuty-seven volumes Of old books as
they stood side by side on the shelf, 50
that II string were threaded through
could be lifted at once
Eat Modern Newspapers.
However big a story that may be- # is
true. as any library containing old books
can show that the treasures Of early
printing were often riddled By the brows-
ing Of bookworms. For one thing. the old
paper was more appetizing than modern
paper. For quite a while it was thought
that bOokworms would not touch modern
paper because Of the clay. the bleaches.
the plaster OF paris. and other aduIterants
used IN it's manufacture
Father O'Conor declares that he found
bookworms feasting upon some recent
volumes Of a New York newspaper That
is not so remarkable as the reverend gen
tleman seemed 20 think. The paper in
question may have been made OF wood
pulp which would have suited the book
worms absolutely.
They are vegetarians by choice. The
probability, however. IS that Il was rag
paper. He found other worms at work on
bound volumes 0f the Scientific American
Of 1873 and 1919. Other books of compare
lively recent date have suffered. so It ap-
pears that the boOkworm Is not partlcu-
lar about his diet
Advise Poisoning Paste.
Various methods Of discoUraging his
depredations have been suggested. Book
binders advise poisoning the paste used.
But even corrosive sublimate has been
used In this way without having an effect
on TIE bookworTn.
One authority says 10 rub the books
three times a year, in March, July, and
September. with a mixture OF powdered
alum and pepper on a piece Of woolen
cloth. This sounds as IL IL would take
away the appetite Of even the most vora-
cious worm, but Father O'Conor inclines
TO the belief that It is the rubbing more
than the pepper and alum which is ef
feCtuaL He says;
let the librarian twice or thrice
year overhaul the library. busting each
separate book with a cloth. Wipe rather
than dust Expensive? Very well, let q
worm eat one expensive volume and then
count the cost. Where there is dust poor
ventilation. and lack Of light. sooner OF
later the bOOkw0Tm will enter and de-
YOUR.