333 



Following the reading of Professor Osborn's paper on insect diseases, some one stated 

 that experiments were under way looking to the destruction of the Boll Worm by 

 means of the bacteria which accompany a disease of larval Pierk rapce. Without giv- 

 ing my reasons in detail, I stated that this disease did not seem to me a promising 

 one for the purpose, and suggested that diseases which affect the Forest tent cater- 

 pillar (not the "Tent caterpillar"), or the striped cut worm, might prove more avail- 

 able. In justification of this opinion I may now add that with a good deal of expe- 

 rience with the disease of P. rapa', in the laboratory and out, I have yet to see an 

 unquestionable instance of the transfer of the disease to another species. Here at 

 Lexington the two species, P. rapw and P. protodice, are about equally common and 

 occur together. A field in which fully 75 per cent, of P. rapa; were affected was under 

 close observation during the past summer, and not a case of the disease in P. protodice 

 was observed. With the dead larvai of P. rapw abundant in the cabbage, and their 

 fluids constantly spread over the leaves by dews and rains, a better test, on a large 

 scale, of the communicability of this disease could scarcely have been devised. Ap- 

 plied to the case of the Boll Worm this is negative evidence, but none the less worth 

 considering -where it is important to get prompt returns for labor. — [H. Garman, 

 Lexington, Ky., November, 1890. 



Beetles and Moths infesting Stored Corn in Venezuela. 



I take the liberty ot forwarding by mail a small insect which causes great damage 

 to Indian corn when shelled and warehoused, with the request that it be examined 

 and given its proper designation. This insect attacks the ripe corn after being shelled 

 and stored and causes great fluctuations in the market price, and from this cause 

 alone the cereal in question has frequently risen from $1 to $9 or $10 per " fanega" 

 (240 pounds). — [E. H. Plumacher, U. S. consul, Maracaibo, Venezuela, August 11, 

 1890. 



Reply. The injects prove to belong to the following species : 



Calandra oryzw L., Echoce)-us maxillosus Fab., Trogosita mauritanca L., Tribolium 

 ferritgineuvi Fab., and one of the grain moths, Ephestia sp., of which a few specimens 

 were found, but all too badly damaged to be specifically determined. The first four 

 insects mentioned are cosmopolitan beetles and infest stored grain the world over. 

 The first mentioned, C. oryzie, was by far the most abundant in the sample sent and 

 doubtless causes the major part of the injury. A closely allied insect, Calandra 

 granaria, also widely distributed, has been reported to be very injurious to stored 

 grain in Chili and doubtless also occurs with you. 



The larva of the Trogosita is now doubtfully supposed to be carnivorous in habit 

 and to feed on the larv:e of other insects. It was long supposed to feed on the grain, 

 and its carnivorous nature is still somewhat of a mooted question. The habits of 

 the other three beetles are similar. The early stages and also the adult forms feed 

 on the grain, as does also the adult of the Trogosita. 



The species of Ephestia is either E. kiihriiella or E. interpuncteUa, both well known 

 grain pests. It will be very desirable for you to send us additional samples of the 

 grain, containing, if possible, the larvfe and pupaj of this moth, so that the species 

 can be positively determined. The matter is one of considerable interest as it may 

 throw some light on the origin of the so-called Mediterranean Flour Moth {Ephestia 

 kUhnielJa), which is still in doubt. 



No complete remedy for these insects has yet been devised, although considerable 

 effort has been made in this direction botli in this country and Europe. Preventive 

 measures of value consist in maintaining the utmost cleanliness about granaries, in 

 keeping the walls freshly whitewashed, and in shifting the grain from time to time. 



Of the direct remedies the most satisfactory and available one is the use ot bisul- 

 phide of carbon, which may be satisfi^ctoriiy employed if the grain is kept in tight 

 granaries and bins. After all the cracks have been closed as tightly as possible, an 



