328 



iu the straw until September, aud when thrashed is left in small bulk, or often 

 stirred, nearly all the grains maybe weevil-eaten; but if wheat be thrashed and 

 well fanned early in July, in this region, there will be no weevils worthy of notice. 

 The eggs previously laid probably do not exist on the grains, but on the chaff or 

 shuck in which they are inclosed, aud, in hatching, the maggots must perish for 

 waut of food. As is the case with corn, the bulk of clean wheat is not exposed to 

 subsequent layings, except on the grains at the surface of the bulk. E vcu if the eggs 

 had previously been attached to aud had remained with the grains instead of the 

 chaff, as I infer to be the case, and then hatched iu the interior of the bulk, the wee- 

 vils could not escape from such close confinement, but would die without increase. 



Seed wheat is usually kept spread out at least ten inches thick, iu order to avoid any 

 possible heating from remaining moisture, and by some farmers is frequently stirred, 

 both of which conditions offer a greater opportunity for the depredations of these in- 

 sects. Notwithstanding this, it is rare that they become numerous. 



The bulkiug of early thrashed wheat without separating the chaff is also said to 

 be sufficient protection from the weevil. Of this mode I have no exi>erience. Its 

 efficacy must depend, not on the removal of the eggs, but on the stifling of the mag- 

 gots, aud the inability of either the maggots or the moths to move in so close a mass. 



Against this insect as a corn pest the practice is being generally 

 adopted in some sections of the south, largely u])on the recommenda- 

 tions of the Division of Entomology, Department of Agriculture, of 

 growing only such varieties of corn as have a close-fitting husk, thus 

 preventing the insects from laying their eggs upon the corn in the field, 

 and of storing the corn in cribs without removing the husk. The dam- 

 age done by the weevil is thus reduced to a minimum, although the 

 storage space re<iuired is greatly increased. 



It may be well to add that the bisulphide of carbon treatment above 

 outlined is efficacious not only against the so-called Fly Weevil, or An- 

 goumois Grain Moth, as it is sometimes called, but against all other in- 

 sects which affect stored grain, and of these we have some five or six 

 species in this country, all beetles in the parent stage. I may also add 

 that this capital remedy was first suggested by Dr. C. V. Riley, iu the 

 columns of tlie Farmers' Beview of Chicago, in March, 1S79. 



In the purchase of bisulphide of carbon, co-operation can be used to 

 great advantage. It can be bought from wholesale chemists iu 50- 

 pound cans for 15 cents peri)ound. At retail it costs from 25 to 35 

 cents per pound. It is perhaps unnecessary to state that when not in 

 use it should be kept in tightly closed recepta(;les, in which there is as 

 little air-space as possible. 



DESCRIPTIONS OF NOCTUIDiE FROM THE DEATH VALLEY. 



By Prof. J. B. S:mith, j^'ew Brunswick, X. J. 



Peridroma demutabilis, n. sp. (Fig. 46, 1). — Ground color grayish white, with a 

 more or less obvious luteous powdering. Head immaculate. Collar with a vari- 

 ously distinct luteous or smoky median line. Disc of thorax white, luteous or 

 smoky. Patagi.-E with luteous or smoky margins. Primaries strigate, the dark 

 shadings luteous or smoky, the median line wanting. There is a basal black 

 streak, above which the base is Avhite and below which it is quite dusky; to this 



