REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST 181 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



articles or answer inquiries concerning matters of public interest. There are effective, 

 sure remedies for the destruction of the Pea Weevil, and if growers can be made to 

 understand this and see that by adopting them, even at some small trouble, they will 

 greatly benefit themselves, while by neglecting them they will injure themselves and 

 their neighbours, I have confidence enough in the common sense of Canadian and 

 American farmei-s, to believe that they will adopt them. 



These remedies will be explained and brought prominently before all who attend 

 Farmers' Institute meetings in Ontario during the coming winter, and object lessons will 

 be given during next summer in the pea-growing districts, but even these efforts will 

 only reach a comparatively small number of those who are concerned, and every effort 

 must be made to bring the importance of the matter before the country. The Boards 

 of Trade in Toronto and Montreal have had it under serious discussion. The press of 

 the country have done much and can and will do much more. In my official capacity I 

 shall do my utmost towards what I believe is possible, the extermination of the Pea 

 Weevil in Canada, and, if United States workers will co-operate with Canadians, success 

 is a.ssared. 



Under the head of remedies I shall mention what have proved to be the best means 

 of destroying the Pea Weevil, and at the same time shall endeavour to anticipate the 

 difficulties which may be expected to arise in the adoption of each. 



Remedies. , 



Cessation of growing. — The Pea Weevil has no other known food plant than the 

 cultivated pea ; thei'efore, as this plant will not stand our winters, there is never a 

 volunteer crop a second year, so, if no peas are sown, the pest must die out. Tlie 

 diilloulty in this case is the impossibility of getting everyone where seed peas are grown 

 liable to infestation, to give up their cultivation. In the present season seed merchants 

 have already laid in their supplies of seed peas for next year's sowing, and there would 

 be great loss to them, were these high-priced peas ground for feed. 



Fumigation. — Fumigation with bi-sulphide of carbon is a sure remedy. When 

 properly done, either in specially constructed buildings known as 'bug-houses,' or in any 

 tight bin, every Weevil is surely killed if the seed containing them is subjected for 48 

 hours to the vapour of bi-sulphide of carbon used in the proportion of 1 pound by weight 

 of the chemical to every 100 bushels of seed, or in smaller quantities, 1 ounce of bi- 

 sulphide to every 100 pounds of seed. The discrepancy in the quantities given above is 

 due to the fact, that where large quantities are treated at once in specially prepared 

 houses there is less waste of the vapour dui^ing the necessary exposure of 48 hours. The 

 quantity given above of 1 pound to every 100 bushels is that which is regularly used by 

 the large seed houses, some of which fumigate from 1,000 to 3,000 bushels at a time. 

 The bi-sulphide of carbon should be of the best quality which will vaporise without any 

 residue, and the exposure should be for the full 48 hours advised. This treatment should 

 be done as soon as possible after harvesting, but may be done at any time when the 

 temperature is above freezing. It is important that the bi-sulphide, which vaporizes 

 readily at the temperature mentioned, but moi'e quickly the warmer it is, should do so 

 as soon as possible, so that the heavy and deadly vapour, which is much heavier than 

 air, should sink down among the peas, where it will in 48 hours kill every weevil in 

 the grain. To facilitate the evaporation it is usual to place the bi-sulphide in large 

 shallow dishes at the top of the building or bin. As the vapour is very inflammable, 

 this work must be done at a distance from other buildings, so that there may be neither 

 accidents nor trouble with insurance companies. No lights of any kind, and no smoking 

 must be allowed near the buildings where bi-sulphide of carbon is being used. Tliis 

 liquid is not more dangerous than naphtha or benzine, but the danger of these is better 

 known. 



For the treatment of small quantities of seed, particularly by farmers, I have found 

 that an ordinary coal oil barrel is very convenient. This will hold about 5 bushels or 

 300 pounds of seed, which may be treated with 3 ounces of bi-sulphide of carbon. Care 



