34 



ored to trace it to its original source, but the more material and 

 facts I gathered on this point, the ujore complicated the matter 

 became, and 1 finally concluded it was unsafe io assume that the 

 moth came at any stated time from any given locality. 



My first correspondent, on whose premises the moth was first 

 discovered, has given me much valuable information on this 

 subject, and if all millers on the Pacific coast had taken as firm 

 a stand, and fought as persistently as he has for the past three 

 years, the Mediterranean flour moth would not now be so widely 

 distributed. May 24, 1892, he wrote me as follows: "I desire to 

 say that you are correct regarding the moth, and I know that it 

 is a great pest. We have endeavored to exterminate it, and have 

 succeeded in keeping it in check somewhat by constant sweeping 

 and cleaning, and by burning sulphur in the building; but we 

 must now adopt some other means, as it seems to be gaining 

 during this warm weather." 



I visited the mill again June 4, 1892; making a thorough in- 

 spection, and found a frightful state of affairs. Only a few moths 

 were seen in the basement, but on the other floors I found a 

 very different state of things. In some parts the moths were 

 found upon every piece of machinery and apparatus, and could be 

 seen in great numbers upon the sacks in which large quantities 

 of flour, meal, and grain were stored. Hundreds were clinging to 

 the sides of the mill and about the windows. An occasional 

 moth would take wing when disturbed, but as a rule they were 

 quiet. They were even in the dark chambers of the reels. The 

 larvae were found in every crack and angle about the ma- 

 chines and wood- work, around bolt heads, in nail holes, and in 

 every crevice where masses of flour had collected. They were 

 particularly abundant in the spouts and elevator legs. I scooped 

 down a handful of the dust that had accumulated in one of the 

 spouts, and upon careful examination found thirty-five larvae, 

 varying from one eighth to one half inch in length. All the 

 spouts and elevators carrying the more glutinous cereals were in 

 a similar condition. The larvae were also seen on piles of boxes 

 containing breakfast foods. In fact, in the most isolated places 

 I could find eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults. 



I made frequent visits to the infested mills during the summer 

 of 1893, and each time found the insect on the increase, and 

 spreading from mill to mill. In April, 1894, I wrote the manager 

 of the mill where I made my first observations, inquiring about 

 the present conditioo of the place, as compared with one year 

 ago, and received the following reply: "Following up my previous 

 letter to you regarding the flour moth, and in answer to your 

 specific questions in the letter just received from you, I would 

 state that our mill is still infested to some extent, and we are 

 still fighting it, keeping one man constantly employed for that 

 purpose. The condition of the mill, however, as compared with a 

 year ago, is very much improved. We have the pest so in sub- 

 jection that we are really not suffering any inconvenience from it, 

 nor any loss, with the exception of the wages of the man em- 



