The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1913-01-17
CLEMSON COLLEGE
.,--,,.. EXTENSION WORK
South Carolina Experiment Station
Press Rulletin No. 1e2
Insects Injurious to Stored Corn.

The insects found in stored corn
are numerous, but among them are
only two great destroyers which re-
quire serious attention. These de-
stroyers are the notorious black rice
weevil and the grain moth commonly
known as ,"grain fly" The life his
tory and habits of these two cham
pion corn pests are very similar and
the treatment effective against one is
also effective against the other, as
well as rats, mice and other insects
present.
The full grown females lay eggs
which hatch into grubs. When the
grubs become full grown they harden
the body skin, turn brewn or black
and become practically motionless.
This Is called the pupa stage. From
this pupa stage the full grown males
and females emerge. The time or
dinarily required to pass from egg to
full grown insects is about six weeks.
Let Us Describe Them.
First-Clean the corn crib before
putting the new crop into it. After
cleaning, provided the crib is sepa-
rate from other buildings, fumigate
with sulphur at the rate of 2h
pounds to 1000 cubic feet of space.
Use an old iron kettle and the sui
phur can be fired by pouring a little
alcohol on it before lighting it. In
stead of alcohol, you can use hot
embers but remember that you do not
have your head above the kettle when
you put the embers in. The writer
has had nexperience and urges that
this precaution be observed. You
probably doubt the effectiveness of
this fumigation because your crib is
an open one. Tighten the crib; the
corn is worth preserving. Do not ex-
pect that you can control the weevil
successfully in an open crib.
Second-After your crib is clean
and tight, put in your new crop and
when it is all stored fumigate twice
10 to II days apart as follows:
Beginning at the back of the crib,
pour carbon bisulphide as uniformly
as possible over the surface of the
corn, at the rate of 6 to z pounds
per 1000 cubic feet of space. The
gas given off, being heavier than air,
sinks down through the corn and pen
etrates to the weevils. Carbon bisul-
phide is not dangerous to apply when
care is taken to breath as little of
it as possible and to apply it as quick
ly as practicable. In. the average
crib confine the gas as long as pos
sible; in practically every case it
will have entirely escaped within 40
hours. Fumigation with this strength
of the liquid in no way Injuries tho
termination of the corn or the feed
ing qualities of the corn so treated.
The fumigation does not kill eggs
or pupae; it kills only the larvae and
the full grown weevils or "flies" and
should therefore be repeated in ten to
twelve days.
A brand commonly used and known
as "Fuma" is manufactured and sold
by the Taylor Chemical Co., PENN an
New York. The price is 10 cents per
pound, F. o. B. at the original ship
ping point. The freight on one So
pound drum from New York to Glenn,
son College is $1.2S, which would
make so pounds of carbon bisulphide
plus freight cost 121s per pound. The
drum costs $1.50 and can be returned
Carbon bisulphide can be shipped by
freight only. The tank should be
kept in cool place and the plug
kept screwed tight when not in use.
Carbon bisulphide is very volatile;
that is, it converts to gas rapidly
when exposed to air at moderate tenn
perature. The liquid and gas is high
ly inflammable and when set on fire is
explosive. This, however, should not
frighten anyone intending to use it
because it is merely necessary to
keep away fire of any kind when US
ing it, just as you would when hand
ling gasoline or gunpowder. It's pres
sure is easily detected by it's charac-
teristic rotten egg odor. If a 80
pound drum is too much for you, then
maybe you can form a club and your
neighbors will use part of it. If pos
sible put a sheet of tin around each
foundation pin of the crib to prevent
rats and mice from getting into the
| corn.
Send for Bulletin ITO of the South
Carolina Experiment Station.