12 farmers' bulletin 799, 



tighth^ around the top. After a few days the peas should be exam- 

 ined, and if insects are still active they should be treated again, a 

 stronger dosage being given or the work done on a warmer day. The 

 barrels may be kept covered with the paper to prevent reinfestation. 

 The sooner peas are thrashed out and thus treated the better. Treat- 

 ment should kill inmiature weevils as well as adults. Other seeds in- 

 tended for planting can be treated and protected in a similar manner. 



TREATMENT OF BUILDINGS. 



Agricultural products frequently are brought together in store- 

 houses, mills, etc., in immense quantities, and when allowed to stand 

 for months, as is frequently the case, these materials become par- 

 ticularly favorable places for the nourishment and multiplication of 

 a large variety of insects which can be dealt with only by treating 

 the entire building. It is possible that this fumigation treatment 

 might be objected to by fire-insurance companies as a violation of 

 the policy contract, but there is no record of fire ever having occurred 

 from such treatment of warehouses or mill buildings. 



PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATIONS. 



When a fumigation of this kind is to be undertaken, a preliminary 

 investigation should be made to determine the nature of the principal 

 l^est (or pests), its habits, manner of injury and of breeding, and as 

 much of its life history as may be needed to determine whether one 

 time will be more favorable than another for the treatment. The 

 building or room should be examined thoroughly to determine how 

 it can be made as nearly tight as possible, and its floor area and 

 cubical contents computed. All possible objections to treatment and 

 all dangers involved should then be considered. As a general rule, 

 the advice of a competent entomologist may be obtained free through 

 the State experiment station, and in many cases the entomologist 

 can be secured to take personal charge of the preparation of the 

 building and the application of the treatment. 



PREPARATION OF THE BUILDING. 



The building should be made as nearly gas tight as is possible and 

 the places into Avhich the insects might crawl for shelter should be 

 eliminated so far as practicable. The pasting of heavy wrapping 

 paper over cracks around the floor edges and around windows, doors, 

 etc., is one of the cheapest and best ways of closing these spaces. 

 Insects sheltered in such cracks may be killed by local treatment. 

 The building should be swept out thoroughly, and a coat of white- 

 wash may be needed sometimes before the treatment is applied. As 

 much as possible of the infested mnterials should then be exposed to 



