The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-02-01
INSECT EATS TOBACCO.
Tobacco Beetle Thrives on Cigars and
Cigarettes In Storage and Show Room.


Cigarettes In Storage and Show Room.
The destruction wrought by the tobac
co beetle has become so pronounced M
this country that the United States de-
partment OF agriculture has issued bul'
letin ON the subject for manufacturers
and dealers in tobacco products. While
tobacco is known as an insectcide or AS
u repellent for some insects, II has no
terrors for this beetle, which prefers the
expensive, sweet, mild tobacco, especially
the best Turkish leaf A very few OF
them, in factory or showroom, may start
an immense amount of damage
The beetle is small brownish insect
only one,tenth OF an inch long. Most Of
the damage is done by the young. or lar
vg, yelowish.white grub somewhat
larger than the adult. While il il i'm
possible TO estimate the total losses in
year, the figures for the industry as a
whole are said TO be very large. Single
firms report losses as high as $4,000 a
year.
The burroms of the laryg, left filled
with dust and excrcment, may extend in
any direction. and may go through the
wrapper of cigar or cigarette Mt any
point. Injured cigars do not draw well,
and burn .unevenly; moreover dust and
trash is likely To be drawn into the
mouth Of the smoker Leaf tobacco in
storage, and chewing tobacco also, may
be badly worm eaten and made unsal
able.
Beetles Come from Tropics.
Although the beetle is now found in all
no ~ Af ha "a lie praaI
is from warm tobacco.growing countries
such as Cuba and the Philippines, where
IL breeds throughout the year. From
these countries the insects are sent out
constantly in shipments of cigars OR leaf
tobacco, either in the egg, larval or pupal
stages, or as adult beetles.
The insect lives in the tobacco during
its whole life, and thrives best with con
siderable warmth and moisture. In the |
southern states there are three or four |
generations in year. 1t does not live on |
growing tobacco and is not introduced |
from the fields.
How to Control the Beetle.
Although a number of insects prey on |
the beetle, methods of artificial proven
ton and control are necessary. Proven
ton is important and all places of man
ufacture and storage should be thorough
" screened and all refuse material, dam
aged stock, etc, promptly destroyed. The
protection of the finished product is par
ticularly important, since with most
classes of manufactured tobacco the
process of manufacture frees it from all
stages of the beetle present in the raw
including even che eggs, which
ire only loosely attached to the tobacco
caves. <
Cold storage proves a good method of {
ontrol. temperatures between freezing ,
md Is deg. f. being effective as long as z
he tobacco is in storage, but the activity [
II the beetle is resumed after such stor- {
ge. Lower temperatures, such as IL $
eg. F. for from one to four weeks kill
IL stages. Care must be used to bring r
he cigars out on dry days. This pre- i
ents sweating and consequent discolora- I
ion or warpng of the containers. Win \
er freezing kills. and sudden and extreme r
hanges of temperature are particularly f
Elective. High temperatures, around l40 t
eg. r., will serve as well as freezing.
Fumigation with hydrocyanic. acid gas
sure when carried out properly, but the 4
recess of generating the gas must be II
thoroughly and the greatest q
taken, rs it is deadly poi ;,
IN. Carbon bisulphd is less effective h
ut more easily used and less dangerous v
the operator. When mixed with air >,
S vapor is explosive in about the same ~
,gree as gasoline, however, and it must -
lerefore be handled with care. and :.
ould not be breathed unnecessarily. In ''
lite of the odor of the chemical it does -,
It faint the tobacco or affect its aroma -, -
ID quality. =;
A full discussion of the beetle and how 4;
prevent loss from it can be had in w
rmers' bulletin SAG, by G. A. Runner, of a.;
G bureau OF entomology 1t will be sent a.
request from the department of agri- he
lture, Washington, d. c. ~