6 BEAN, 
only to press out what may be called the door of its tunnel, and effect 
its exit. 
Thus the fact of whether there is, or has been, presence of weevil- 
attack in the Broad Bean-seed may almost certainly be known. If 
there are one or more small round depressions where the skin of the 
Bean-seed is partly transparent, or again, if instead of the little 
depressions the round bit of skin has fallen off, and there are one or 
more little round holes like shot-holes right into the Bean, then it may 
be taken as a certainty that the Bean either is then, or has been, 
infested with the weevil. 
In 1888 there was an unusual prevalence of this attack at localities 
in Kent, Essex, and Buckinghamshire, and also to some degree in 
Hertfordshire, and the observations then sent me,* being in several 
instances from leading agriculturists, gave much useful information on 
effects and means of prevention of the infestation which had not 
previously been brought forward. 
Since then some advance has been made on various points, both 
as to structure, and amount of injury caused by attack of Bean and 
Pea Weevils, but still nothing like the attention is given to the subject 
which it deserves, and the following note, which I give (with thanks) 
from the number of the ‘ Scottish Farmer’ for May 4th, shows the 
inconveniences that may occur from want of knowledge of the outward 
signs of grub or beetle-presence in the Bean. 
The enquiry sent was as follows:—‘ A quantity of Beans were sent 
to a laundry for consumption by horses, and at the time of delivery 
they appeared to be perfectly free from any kind of pest. In a short 
time they were returned very badly infested by such insects as are sent 
herewith. Can you explain how this took place ?’””—(Q. C.) 
To this I replied :—*‘ Both of the parties in this Bean-seed case are 
in a sense right. The Beans would very probably show no external 
signs of the infestation within, excepting to those who knew what 
these signs were; and yet the beetles were within, being just on the 
very point of coming out. The Beans that appeared quite clean when 
sent off, would promptly be even swarming with the beetles.” 
If seller and buyer had been aware of the presence of the beetle- 
infestation within being shown by the little depressed bit of skin 
(as noted above) over the insect-tunnel, the whole perplexity and 
inconvenience would have been avoided. 
Weevil-infestation is by no means confined to home-grown seed, 
and requests for information on this subject come in the common 
course. In the past season I received a communication from Mr. 
Wallace, of Hardiston, Tenbury, Worcestershire, with specimens of 
Bean-seed Weevil accompanying, and mention that they were ‘‘ speci- 
* See my ‘ Eleventh Annual Report.’ 
