The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-08-24

ship to assure those sections OBJ
tanning their quota within short
time.
GRANARY WEEviL
The long snout granary weevil
and that collection of insects gen.
orally classed as "bran bugs" by
entomologists and grain dealers are
being found in old stored grain in
Minnesota elevators and farm gran
aries and are likely to take heavy
toll of the new crop unless steps
are taken early to combat them. The
situation is complicated from the
fact that low prices will cause many
more farmers than usual to store
heir grain. Entomologists and
grain men warn that extra care
must be taken or heavy losses are
likely to result Several carloads
of grain infested with the granary
weevil and the saw tooth beetle
were received at the Minneapolis
terminal this week and marked
sample grade" which really means
no grade at all. All such insect in
tested grain is generally sold, If at
all, by sample and at marked re-
duction in price even though 1t may
weigh out fifty eight pounds to the
bushel and be of low moisture con :
tent DR.. r. n. Chapman, Uni
versity of Minnesota entomologist
of national reputation, says that
clean their granaries and elevators
thoroughly before storing new
grain. Ali the old grain should be
removed and the sides of the bins
swept clean so that no old grain is
left on walls or cracks. This clean
ing up process, he says, is vitality
important because the heavy stor-
age In prospect may mean increas
ed infestation. The adult granary
weevil is a shiny reddish brown
beetle about one sixth of an inch In
length, and with a long snout or
proboscis,- says DR.. Chapman. The
females make small holes In the
wheat kernel in which the eggs are
laid. The larvae hatch and spend
their lives within the kernels as
legless grugs, eating out the inter
for OF the kernel which becomes
only a mere shell. The adult beet
les as we'll as the larvae also feed
on wheat and the species is the
most destructive OF the insect at
lacking stored grains.
BIG CHEMICAL PROBLEM
What is pronounced by DR.. r. A.
Gortner, chief of the agricultural
biochemistry division of the state
university, the biggest chemical pro-
blem in Minnesota at present is the
development of what is known as
among livestock, particularly OF
solved, DR.. Gortner- says, a really
successful system of diversified
farming is impossible in certain
western counties of the state, par
ticularly in portions Of Norman,
Mahnomen, and Becker counties and
In various other districts. Tens OF
thousands of dollars have been lost
by dairymen in or adjacent to the
Red river valley by reason Of this pc
culiar trouble. Dairy cattle affected
with abnormal appetite will eat or try
to eat nearly every thing under
the sun, including rags, old shoes
and rubbers, dirt, fence posts and
the wood partitions in stables and
sheds. Under such conditions the
best mixers frequently dry up early
in the lactation period and young
stock become stunted In growth.
Rather strange to say, a deficiency
of minerals in hay and other feed
water are held to be responsible for
abnormal condition of farm animals
in the district. When feeds not not
supply the calcium and phosphorus
required for milk production, these
minerals are taken from the bones
and system of the animal and 1t
forthwith declines to vigor and pro :
ductive powers. Samples of well
water from twelve different farms
in Norman county were forwarded
in containers and mailing tubes for
analysis by the chemist at UniVer-
sity Farm. Eleven of the samples,
saws DR.. Gortner showed excessive
quantities of EPSON salts: The
probable effect of water so high in
sulphates is to eliminate calcium
and phosphorus in the system. it is
thus seen that the water situation,
in sections of Norman county at
least, simply aggravates the condt-
ton imposed by the lack Of proper
minerals in the dairy cows ration
! The university department OF agrf
culture is preparing to make
thorough study OF the situation and
Of remedies and steps to overcome
| IL Drs. Gortner and L. s. Palmer
of the chemistry division and G. H
Eckies, chief OF the dairy division
are planning to make q personal
survey of two representative town
ships in Norman county the first
week in September. Every farm
within the two townships will BE-
visited for the purpose of inspecting
the dairy herds and Analysing the
| water and feeds given them. Var
ious trials have shown that bone
meal alleviates the trouble, says DR.
Corner. but weather 1t is a com
pIete remedy is not yet known. Al
ready series Of investigations have
been begun at the Minnesota Bx.
pertinent Station to determine thu
| facts in an accurate scientific man
ner and to discover correctives
which will place the dairy bushes!
lin western districts on sound and
prosDoro1tr basis Ills.