Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-01-02


In this day and time one of the
best ways to make money is to con-
serve what we have already pro-
duced. How many of our people real
ize the nature and extent of the dam
age done to our grain crops by ro-
dents and weevils? Professor j. n.
Elrod, who has studied this ques-
ton as it relates to Georgia, has
the following to say with reference
to this subject. The amount involv-
ed is certainly we'll worth saving in
these hard times, and the ways to
accomplish it are so simple of APP
plication that we should eliminate
this waste from our state next year.
Rats, mice and grain weevils cost
Georgia S12 100000 annually. 1t has
been estimated that these pests de-
stroy from ten to fifteen per Acent of
the corn crop alone. They also take
about the same toll from wheat,
oats, peas and other grains. The
grain thus destroyed is equal to
the products of 10000 farmers and
100000 acres of land. This can be
saved by making the storage place
for grain rat and weevil proof.
Every farmer can devise some eff
fective way to Kidding the corn
crib and granary OF rats and mice.
They may be trapped, poisoned and
shut out of buildings. The nests
and breeding places should be de-
stroyed. The campaign should be
thorough and last until there are
none left on the place.
The grain weevils do more dam
age than rats. They begin their
work in the field before the corn is
harvested by laying eggs in the
shucks and grains. These eggs
hatch in one or two weeks. a new
generation is produced about every
three or four weeks, so by spring
several general tons will have been
Matched unless the first brood is
killed. This can be done by fumi-
cation with carbon bisulphide aft
er the corn is stored in the crib.
For funigation to be effective, the
crib must be tight-the nearer air
tight the better. The crib should
be ceiled, have a tight floor and
closely fitting windows and doors, or
a layer of roofing paper may be used
on the outside with drop siding over
this. All joints of the roofing pa
per should be we'll cemented and
tightly nailed. All holes and cracks
should be closed in some way. The
gas given off by the carbon bisul-
phide kills the weevils and this must
not be allowed to escape.
The fumigation should be done on
a warm, clear day, beginning in the
morning so that the carbon bisul-
phide will evaporate readily. The
carbon bisulphide is poured into
open dishes or pans, and these plac-
ed about on top of the grain. The
crib should then be closed and left
for twenty four hours.
The. amount of carbon bisulphide
to use depends on the size of the
crib. Use two pounds for each 100
cubic feet of space. If the crib is
Sx10x5 feet, or 400 cubic feet, use
s pounds of carbon bisulphide. If
the crib is not tight, increase the
dose accordingly.
Wheat, beans, oats, sorghum, etc,
can be treated in tight boxes or bar
rels in the same way, using about
One-half a teacupful of carbon BIZ
sulphide for each barrel of grain.
Carbon bisulphide gas is poisonous
and inflammable. Do not breathe it,
Keep lights and fires away. It is
not dangerous in open air. There is
no danger after the crib is opened
and aired for few hours.
Farmers now and then complain
about their inability to sell hogs.
According to Professor w. S. Rice,
these complaints are not always pref