Middletown transcript., 1919-04-12
'EEQIls CAUS
SERIOUS LOSSES
Harvest Beans, Peas and Cow
peas Promptly After Maturity
to Prevent Damage.
IREA1 SEED BY FuM|GATl0N
Kill Insects Before They Can lncrease
in Numbers and Carry on Dess"uo.
tive Work-Growers Have BE.
come Discouraged.

prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture.>
The serious losses caused b be:tn
and pea weevils-whfch amounts to
millions of dollars annually-is large
ly preventable, and by putting a stop
to it 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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
Weevifs 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 on
record only so per cent Of infested
beans terminated, and Of these ~ per
cent were so badly injured that they
could not develop into normal plants.
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
veevils the following summer. Ike
crop should he harvested as soon IS
possible after reaching maturity ard
the seed thrashed or shelled soon after
wards. Storing in the pod does not
| confine the weevils. Immediately en-
placing the seed in storage, fumiga:e
with carbon disulphid or carbon te-
trachlorid. These chemicals when e:k-
posed to the air vaporize into a heavy
poisonous gas which Immediately kills
the -weevil, Carbon 1liSnlphid is the
more generally used, though carbon te-
| ira achlorid has the advantage OF not be-
| ing inflammable. Seed to be fumigat-
| ed should be placed in an alright con-
| tainer, such as a tin can or barrel.
The chemicals, used at the rate OF
from 2 to pounds to each 800 cubic
feet of space to be fumigated, should
be poured over the top of the seed,
and fumigation should continue for
from "a to 4S hours.
Killed by Heating.
When there is only a 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 12O to 145 degrees Fair
enheit. Dipping seed in boiling water
for one minute is also an effective
remedy. Weevils will not feed OF
cause damage ct low temperatures, ant
If seed can be kept in cold storage Al
temperature of 80 to 43 degree!
Fahrenheit, no trouble from this pes