Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-07-23
HOW TO BEAT CORN WEEWL
rs SHOWN BY UNCLE SAM

Opportunity for southern corn
growers to protect themselves
against weevil infestation next year
by intelligent seed selection in the
field, is pointed out by experts of
the United States department Of
agriculture.
1t has been found that, in weevil-
infested sections, the ears with tips
protruding from the shucks or with
loose, open shuclls, usually become
infested, and often seriously dam
aged, before they can be safely stor-
ed and that many of them, after
several months in storage are worth
less.
Experiments have shown that
shuck coverings extending we'll be-
yond the tips of the ears and clos
ing tightly about the stalks, if not
opened by other means, will resist
and in storage. The greatest handi-
cap to shuck protection against Wee
wills is the presence of ear worms,
which usually enter the shuck cover
ing through the silk channels,
feeding as they go. and making holes
wills may enter. It has been found
that when there is a long shuck eX-
tension, the worms frequently cut
from the silk channels before reach
ing the ear, and the longer the eX-
tension the more frequently this
happens.
Opportunity for Corn Breeders
The corn breeder in WeeVil-infest-
ed districts is urged to strive to
produce a variety in which all the
ears will be clothed with shucks that
extend tightly beyond the tips of the
~ 81 c10 n
be several inches long.
Select the. best ears in the field,
if possible, for next years seed. Be
sure these ears have long, tight
shucks, so that your next crop will
have better shuck protection. Select
that show the best breeding, those
that produce more and better than
their competitors.
The harvesting should be done as
soon as the corn is sufficiently dry.
After harvesting, the ears should be
sorted irto Two classes. This can
be done rapidly, with ordinary farm
labor at time when it is too wet
or stormy for field work.
The first class should include all of
the ears that apparently have weevil-
| proof shucks. These ears should be
stored in their shucks until such
| time as they are needed.
| The second class should include
| all ears with tips protruding be-
yond the shucks, with loose or open
| shucks, and any others that are prob
| ably infested with WceVlls. These
ears require immediate attention to
| minimize the loss, a S the WeeVlls in
| them will continue to multiply except
| during the coolest part Of the win
| ter season. AS the shucks Of poorly
covered ears are no protection, they
| should be removed. Already some
| of the ears may be partly consumed
| and contain adult insects, larvae and
| eggs. These should be kept separ-
| ate and are best suited for poultry
| feed. All the ears showing slight
| infestation should be shelled and
the grain cleaned to remove the live
weevils. If the shelter has fans
| nd riddles it may not be necessary
to run the corn through a separate
c.t;,Ilng devices, tanning mill will
serve the purpose.
The shuclling, Smelling and clean
| ing, will dislodge many of the in
| should be collected and burned. In
| many cases, to prevent further loss
| before the corn can be used or sold
it will only be necessary to put it
| in bags woven sufficiently close to
prevent the WeeVils from pushing
| through from the outside. They will
seldom cut through even the thin
nest cotton bagging. 1t should be
remembered, however, that though
the bags prevent the weevils from
| entering, they do not prevent the
| weevils already in the corn from
continuing to breed and damage the
grain.
Prevent the weevils From Increasing
! If it is necessary to keep this
infested bagged corn for consid-
cradle time, the multiplication of the
weevils within the sacks can be min
imized by fumigation or by running
the grain through a tanning mil
| occasionally.
The shelled corn must ont be stored
in large Ases or i may heat dur
ing periods of high temperature.
slated crib covered with 1-4-incr
mesh galvanized wire netting viii
| give abundant ventilation and eX-
clude rats and mice. With gaS-tight
storage bins the weevils in infested
corn may be effectively destroyed
with carbon disulphid.