Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1913-01-22
INSECTS INJURIOUS TO CORN.
Clemson Station Gives Methods of
Destroying Them.

are humorous, but among them are
only two great destroyers which re-
quire serious attention. These de-
stroyers are the notorious black rice
weeyil and the grain moth, commonly
known as grain fly. - The life history
and habits Of these two champion
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 brown 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 ordi-
narily required TO pass from egg to
full grown insects is about six
weeks.
Let Us Destroy 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 q little
alcohol on it before lighting it, In
stead Of alcohol you can use hot en-
bers, but remember that you do not
have your head above the kettle
when you put the embers in The
writer has had experience 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 expect 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 1T is all stored fumigatc twice
ten 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 or pounds per
1000 cubic feet of space. The gas
given off being heavier than air,
sinks down through the corn and
penetrateS to the weevils. Carbon
bisulphide is not dangerous to apply
when care is taken to breathe as lit
tie OF 1t as possible and to apply it
as quickly as practicable. In the av-
erage crib con.'ne the gas as long as
possible. In practically every case
it will have entirely escaped within
4S hours. Fumigatiou with this
strength of the liquid in no way in
jures the termination Of the corn or
the feeding qualities of the corn so
treated.
The fumigation does not kill eggs
or pupae; it kills only the larvae and
the fall grown weevils or flies and
should therefore be repeated in ten
or twelve days.
brand commonly used and
known as "Fuma" is manufactured
and sold by the Taylor Chemical Co.,
PennYan, n. Y. The price is 10 cents
per pound f. o. b. original shipping
point. The freight on one 5O-pound
drum from New York to Clemson
College is SIPS, which would make
80 pounds Of carbon bisulphide, plus
freight, cost - II cents per pound.
The drum costs $3.50, and can be re-
turned. Carbon bisulphide can be
shipped by freight only. The tank
should be kept in a 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
temperature The liquid and gas is
highly intlammable and when set on
fire is explosive. This, however,
should not frighten any one intend
ing to use it because it is merely nee
essary to keep away fire Of any kind
when using it, just as you would
when handling gasoline or gunpow-
der Its presence is easily detected
by its characteristic rotten-egg odor.
II a oO-pound dram is too much for
you, then maybe you can form
club and your neighbors will use part
Of it. If possible 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