The eagle., November 13, 1895, Page 15, Image 15

About The eagle. (Silver City, N.M.) 1894-1???

Image provided by: University of New Mexico

                
TUR BAULK: WKI)XKS1AY, NOYKMRMl IS. I8!tf.
15
THE WluKED WEEVIL.
Unole Sam Will Try to Stamp
Out the Grain Destroyer.
Crop Worth Millions of Dollar! Are
Eaton Ever Year by the Little
i'eits New Remedies to
Be Adopted.
The pernicious weevils are making
themselves no-obnoxious in this coun
try that experts of the department of
agriculture are now engaged in making
a special Btudy of them. Every year
they destroy many millions of dollars'
worth of stored cereals in granaries
find elevator. Iu fact, the question
how to fight them íb one of serious
and growing economic Importance.
Strange to Bay, very little scientific at
tention has been directed to these in
fects up to date, and not much is known
about them. It is reckoned that they
cause an annual loss of over one mil
lion dollars in Texas alone, and in 1803
the corn crop of Alabama was dam
aged by them to the extent of one mil
lion six hundred and seventy thou
hand dollars.
There are about forty species of these
insects, some of which are beetles and
others moths. .Nearly all of them are
assisted Immigrants, having been im
ported from abroad in cargoes of
grain. In this manner they have been
distributed by commerce to all parts of
the world.
Three of the Bpecles actually live in
the kernels, while the others feed on the
ptarchy contents. (Jrain infested by
them is unfit for human consumption
and has been known to cause serious ill
ness, It is poisonous to horses and is
not wholesome even for swine. 1'ou'
try, however, find It palatable and nu
tritious. The moths especially are so
prolific that t lie progeny of a Blnglepaii
in a twelvemonth will number ninny
thousands, capable of destroying sev
eral tons of grain. Fortunately, the in
crease of these pests is checked to some
extent by natural enemies, among
which are spiders that inhabit mill
and granarles. In the ileitis they are
preyed upon by birds and bats.
One uf tho worst of these Insects U
the familiar "granary weevil," which
in mentioned In the (eorgles of Virgil,
Its ravages made it known long before
the Christian era. It is native to the
region of the Mediterranean. Ilavlne,
been domesticated for so long a time, it
has lost the use of its wings. Th
female punctures the kernel with her
snout and inserts an egg from which
is hatched a little worm that lives in
the hull and feeds on the starchy in
terior. Quite as bad as this beetle is a moth
that comes from the Mediterranean re
gion also. The larva, which is known
in the United States as the "fly weevil,"
does most injury to corn and wheat.
In six months grain infested by it losen
forty per cent, in weight and seventy
five per cent, of its tarchy matter. In
eldentally. it is rendered totally unfit
for food,' and bread made from wheat
infested by the insect is said to have
caused an epidemic recently in France.
The pest was noticed in North Carolina
as early as 1728,
Another wicked imported bug is the
"rice weevel." It originated in India,
whenco it has been distrbuted by com
merce all over the world. At present it
does as much harm as any other known
insect, being a serious pest in the
Mouthern states. In the tropics gener
ally it does enormous damage. For
merly, when long voyages were necesr
sary in importing grain from the east,
it frequently destroyed whole cargoes,
having plenty of time to multiply. The
adult beetles of this species cause much
irouble in storehouses and groceries
by invading boxes of crackers, rakes,
yeast cukes and macaroni and barrels
and bins of flour and meal. They can
subsist for months on sugar, and
sometimes they burrow into ripening
peaches and grapes.
A new grain-destroyer has recently
attracted attention in this country,
i.nd has earned for itself the title of
"scourge of the flour mill." It is the
"Mediterranean flour moth." The cater
pillar spins webs which make the flour
clotted and lumpy, so that the machin
ery in the mills becomes clogged and
has to be stopped for a considerable
time. The larvae prefer flour or meal,
but they flourish also on bran, prepared
cereal foods and crackers.
This subject Is considered of such im-
portance that much space will be de
voted to it in the forthcoming Year
Book of the department of agriculture.
The remarks made therein are based
upon recent study of weevils and their
habits by Mr. F. II. Chittenden, of the
bureau of entomology. Fanners are
informed that the best remedy for such
mischief is bisulphide of carbon, which
may be applied In moderately tight
bins by simply pouring the liquid into
shnllow pans or on bits of cotton
waste and distributing them about on
the surface of the grain.
! The Btuft rapidly evaporates, and the
apor, being heavier than air, descends
and pennentes the mass of grain, kill
ing all insects as well as rats and mice
which it mny contain. X. Y. World.
Official Directory.
FKDEKAL.
Delegate to Congress
Governor
Secretary
Chief Justice
riiomas B. Catron.
W. T, Thornton,
Lorlon Miller, .
Thomas Smith,
N. f. Collier. 1
II. It. Hamilton.
X. H. Lauxlilin, t Associates
If. I. Buntz. J
W. It. Wnl ton. Clerk Third Judicial District
Charles F. Ensley, Surveyor Oeneral
hurles M. Shannon, U."S. Collector
I. It. Ilenimlnuwuy, U.S. District Attorney
Edward L. Hull. II . S. urshal
11. W. Loomls, Deputy U.S. Marshal
J. W. Fleming, V. 8. Coal Mino Inspector
.1. II Walker. Santa Fe Kejrlstcr Land Office
l'edro Deluudo, Santa Ke Kec'v'r Land Office
John D. Bryan. LnsCruces Keif'r Land Olllce
J. 1'. Asen rule, Las Cruces, Kec'v'r L'dOHIce
Klchard Yoiiiik. Koswell Heit'r Land Office
. 0. Cosirrove, Koswull, Kec'v'r Land office
W. V. Boyle, Clayton. Keu'r Land Olllce
H. C. Plekuls, Clayton, Kec'v'r Land Office
TBIllilTOItlAI,.
J. P. Victory, ' Solicitor Oeneral
J. II. Crist. Santa Fe. District attorney
K. L, Yoiiiik, Lus Cruces, " "
T. N. Wilkerson. Alh'mie. " "
A. II. ilarllee. Silver City,
II. M, DauKherty, Socorro, " "
A. A. Jones, Las VeKas, " "
John Franklin, Eddy,
JoseScvura, Llorarían
U.S. Clancy, Clerk Supreme Court
E. II. Hcmimnn. Superintendent Penitentiary
Geo. W. knaeliel, Adjutant Generas
Samuel Eldodl. Treasurer
Marcelino Garcia, Auditor
Anuido Chavez, Sunt, of School 1
M. S. Hart. Coal Oil Inspector
COIMIT Oír PIUVATB LANDCf.AIMS.
Joseph It. Iteed. of Iowa. Chief Justice.
Associate J si lees -Wilbur 1". Stone, of Col
orado; Thomas C. Fuller of North Carolina;
William M. Murray, of Tennessee; Henry ('.
i Sluss. of Kansas.
I Matt G. Iteynolils. of Missouri. United
! States Attorney.
COUNTY.
It. V. Newshain.
N. A. Bolleh.
K. M. Yoiiiik.
liaylor Shannon,
A. It. Laird.
T. N.Uhllders,
G. 11. Brown.
J. X. I'pton.
A. J. Clark.
Thomas Foster
It. T. Link.
J. W. Flenilnif.
II. Ahr.iham.
Win. F. Loreiiz,
Fra -k Wrlnht.
I S. H.'vllhurn.
Prohate Judge
Treasurer
Prohate Clerk
Sherilf
Collector
Assessor
Surveyor
Commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner
School Superintendent
CITY
Mayor
Treasurer
Clerk
Attorney
Marshal
BOAIID OF KDUCATION.
('. Bennett,
It. L. Powel.
Win, Brnhiu.
He Stacked.
A traveling man just home from u
far western trip has brought with him
something new in linguistic novelties.
"I was eating dinner iu a restaurant
way out west," he said, "and as I fin
ished the bustling waiter girl scorched
up to me and asked in u fast express
sort of tone: 'Do you want any des
sert?' 'Yes, I will take some,' I
answered. 'Well, then, stack!' she de
manded, in an impressive tone. 'Stack ! '
I repeated, thinking it was something
new to eat, 'what's that?' 'Why, pile
your dinner dishes up,' she impatiently
explained. So I 'stacked' all the little
dishes on my plate and she scorched off
with them and brought me three kinds
of pie, two kinds of pudding and some
frozen custard," Louisville Courier
Journal.
COINCILMEN.
M. K. White.
Martin Maher
Jas. Glllett.
Geo. I). Jones.
FIltB IIKI'AKTMKNT.
St. Genrite Kobluson Chief
lionlan Bradley ' Assistant Chief
('. C. Whltehill Foreman. It. it. Hose Co.
Steve I'hle Foreman, J. V. F. Hosu Co
V. F. Lorenr. Foreman. Hook and LadderCo
Hllv.r City Tost Otttie.
Olllce open dally except Sunday from 8 n.ni
l o 7 ii. ni.
Open Sunday from 8 to 8:3U a.m.. and one
hour after arrival uf railway mall.
M 'iiey onier department open dally except
Sundays from H a. m. toll p. in.
M ill closes for Fort Bayard. Central. Han
over, Georgetown and all railroad points dal
ly at 7 4i a. iu.
Mull closes for Mogollón and all Intermedi
ate imltils at 8 a. in., Mondays, Wednesdays
rn I Fridays.
I Mall closes for Pinos Altos dally except
: (-undiiys at I.8J p. ni,
j Mall arrives from the east, west and south
1 da ly at i p. m.
Mail arrives from Mogollón and Intermedi
ate points ut 7 a. m Wednesdays, Fridays
and Sundays.
Mall arrives from Pinos Altos dally except
i Sundays 'itUillu a. in,
I I.. A. Skki.i.y. piwtmastrh.