BUEEATJ OF ENTOMOLOGY. 541 



tions and the insects present in both import and export flour and 

 other cereals. 



Fumigation of mills, grain storehouses, and bakeries have been 

 conducted in the city of Washington with good success and will be 

 continued as opportunity offers, the work extending into some near- 

 by mills in Virginia. 



More inquiries were received in regard to methods for the pre- 

 vention of weevils in corn and other stored cereals in the South than 

 in several years, and much information was given in regard to this 

 topic. Efforts were made to ascertain to what extent cereals, espe- 

 cially corn, are attacked in the field, and it was found that in many 

 cases field attack is the direct result of storing grain in the immedi- 

 ate vicinity of grain fields or of planting near granaries. Some com- 

 mon practices in the Gulf region, such as "pulling" or "snapping" 

 fodder so as to expose corn ears to the ripening and hardening effects 

 of the sun, tend to increase injury by the Angoumois grain moth and 

 the rice weevil and should be discontinued. Early harvesting, 

 prompt threshing, and storage in bulk all conduce largely to the pre- 

 vention of infestation. For the rest, cleanliness in the depositories, 

 with fumigation, preferably before storage, will destroy the insects 

 which remain. 



A branch of this topic which will sooner or later demand attention 

 is as to the effect of " weeviled " grain to stock and to human beings 

 when taken as food. Practically nothing definite has been done in 

 this line, although it has been known for some time that horses are 

 badly affected by '• weeviled " grain and by the " dust," chiefly excre- 

 ment, occurring in infested oats and other cereals. They also refuse 

 to eat food containing large granary insects, such as the meal-worms. 

 Chickens, swine, and cows do not appear to be badly affected by a 

 moderate amount of this material, but doubtless all would suffer 

 from a larger diet of " weeviled " grain. 



In all, the principal seaboard mills and terminal elevators export- 

 ing grain and other cereal products from the Atlantic coast have 

 been inspected and the insects infesting export and import cereals 

 have been studied. In addition, various blending plants and fac- 

 tories manufacturing cereal products, and storage depositories, have 

 been kept under constant observation. 



The use of bisulphid of carbon, while prohibited by fire-insurance 

 underwriters in many cases, is still in use for other insects than the 

 flour moth, which affect stored products, and in some cases its use is 

 practically necessary; for example, for spraying spouts and other 

 portions of machinery where hydrocyanic-acid gas is unable to pene- 

 trate a large mass of flour. It is also used to a considerable extent 

 either before or after hydrocyanic-acid-gas fumigation. 



Experiments have been made with sulphur fumigation where it 

 was not practicable to use other means of treatment, and these have 

 been found successful. 



During the year upward of 100 reports were received from many 

 of the principal milling establishments of the country giving re- 

 sults of the treatment of the mills by hydrocyanic-acid gas fumi- 

 gation. 



An agent of the Bureau, working chiefly in the States of Kansas 

 and Texas during the J'ear, has submitted more exhaustive rejDorts 



