The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-11-03
AVOIDING INSECT PESTS.
How the Farmers May Circumvent
Destructive Weevils and Flies.

Clemson College, Oct. 29.-Mr. A. F.
Conradi, entomolgist OF the South
Carolina experiment station, has given
out the following timely and import
ant information for farmers on stored
grain insects. This is the season when
the barns are being filled to over
flowing with abundant crops. How
shall they be cared for to keep insects
from doing untold damage? That is
the question discussed by Mr.. Con-
radi.
The insects most injurious to corn
and other stored grain in this State
are the rice weevil, the grain fly, and
the granary weevil. The granary vice.
VII has practically lost the use of it's
wings through long years of domesti-
cation, and can therefore, be a nui-
sance only in neglected cribs and
barns. All three species of insects
breed in similar farsion. They lay
their eggs in and among the grain,
and the worms Matched therefrom eat
into the seed and thus do damage.
When the grub is full grown It
changes to the resting, or pupa stage
and then emerges into the adult vice.
VII. The life cycle from egg to full
grown insect is about six weeks.
The rice weevil may be distinguish
ed from the granary weevil and all
other corn infesting insects by the
four orange-colored spots On it's wings
1t is black, while the granary is
brown. These insects begin to infest
the corn when it begins to harden,
and they must naturally come from
the bin where the grain is stored. 1t
Is absolutely necessary, therefore, that
every bin be thoroughly cleaned every
season before any new corn is stored.
1t should be fumigated we'll so as to
Kill as many of the different stages of
the insect as possible.
Alter being brought to the crib corn
should be we'll fumigated to kill any
insects thus brought in. Various
methods are recommended. Among
the common ones are salt, salt water
and air-slacked lime. Each has dis
advantages. Air-slacked lime makes
the husks unpalatable to stock.
~
most impossible to do good extermin-
ative work. Hence corn should be nut
in specially constructed building
made weevil proof with gauze over
the ventilators so as to prevent infes
tation in that way. This will reduce
to minimum the chance of infesta
ton from outside. and will make ideal
conditions for fumigation of stored
corn.
In such a crib use carbon bisulp
hide, pounds to 100 bushels. Sat-
ter over the surface Of corn like wa
ter. Little danger of iniuring the ger
minating power of corn this way; but
seed corn may be separated and fumi-
gated in coal oil or kerosene barrels.
Barrels holding three bushels. use
ounces bisulhide, cover tightly, and
keep closed for "a hours.
Experiments with sulphur at the
North Carolina station have given
good results, and often it is more eff
fective than the bisulphide, but the
flame from the sulphur Objectionable.
TO clean up empty bins before stor
ing corn, use 2 1-2 pounds sulphur to
1000 cubic feet Of space, place in
metal dishes, saturate one side with
alcohol, ignite, and let burn for "a
hours. This Injuries termination pow
er OF seed, but seed corn can be done
as above. We do not recommend this
because of danger from fire.
Bisulphide is volatile, infiammable,
and explosive, but there is no danger
II fire is kept away. 1t should rot be
handled by people having heart
trouble. If overcome by the gas, re-
sulting in dry feeling of skin, head
ache and dizziness, exposure to fresh
air will give relief