The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1919-01-28
WEEvILS CAUSE
SERIOUS LOSSES
Harvest Beans, Peas and Cow
peas Promptly After Maturity
to Prevent Damage.
TREAT SEED BY FUMIGATION
XIII Insects Before They Can Increase
In Numbers and Carry on Destrue-
tive Work-Growers Have Be-
come Discouraged.

prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture.)
The serious losses caused by bean
and pea weevils-which amounts to
millions of dollars annually-is large
ly preventable. and by putting a stop
to 1t a valuable and much-needed
source of the nations food supply can
be saved. No satisfactory artificial
remedies can be applied to kill weevil
grubs in beans, peas or cowpeas grow
ing In the field. but they can be easily
| and effectively controlled afterward
If the necessary care is given. The
crop should be harvested as soon as
possible after maturity. and the seeds
| thrashed or shelled and treated by
| fumigation, heat or cold storage, in
order to kill the weevils in them be-
fore they can increase in numbers and
carry on their destructive work.
/ Weevils not only cause serious dam
age to peas, beans and cowpeas In
\ storage but also in the field, and are
responsible for a curtailment in the
acreage planted in these crops. In
some sections, particularly the coastal
regions of the middle Atlantic states,
this pest has carried on its work of
destruction so successfully that grow
ers have become discouraged and have
| discontinued to produce on a CONNER
cial scale these valuable food crops
Badly infested seeds are worthless
for planting. In one experiment or
record only so per cent of infested
beans terminated. and of these 80 pei
cent were so badly injured that they
could not develop into normal plants
I Harvest All Seed.
In gathering the crop, exercise care
the bulletin urges. to leave no portion
of It in the field. as seeds scattered on
the ground or left in shattered pods
on the dried vines, may carry the pest
over winter. and furnish supply Of
weevils the following summer. The
crop should be harvested as soon as
possible after reaching maturity and
the seed thrashed or shelled soon after
wards. Storing in the pod does not
confine the weevils. Immediately or
placing the seed in storage, fumigate
with carbon disulphid or carbon te
trachlOrid. These chemicals when ex
posed to the air vapOrize into heavy
poisonous gas which Immediately kills
the weevil. Carbon disulphid Is the
more generally used, though carbon tie.
trachlorid has the advantage Of not be-
ing infiammable. Seed to be fumigat.
ed should be placed in an air-tight con-
tainer, such as a tin can or barrel.
The chemicals, used at the rate of
from 2 to pounds to each 300 cubic
feet Of space TO be fumigated, should
be poured over the top Of the seed,
and fumigation should continue for
from "a to 48 hours.
Killed by Heating.
When there is only small quantity
of seed, the weevil may be killed by
heating the seed in the oven for sew
eral hours. The oven should not be
hotter than 120 to 145 degrees Fair
i enheit. Dipping seed in boiling water
for one minute is also an effective
remedy. Weevils will not feed or
cause damage at low temperatures, and
If seed can be kept In cold storage at
a temperature of 80 to 43 degrees
Fahrenheit, no trouble from this pest
will result.