The Pea-Weevil: The Larva 



beans, which the Weevil disputes with us, 

 we also live by knowledge, that mighty 

 kneading-trough in which the dough of pro- 

 gress is mixed and fermented. Science is 

 well worth a bean or two. Among other 

 things, it tells us : 



"The corn-chandler need not trouble to 

 wage war upon the Weevil. By the time 

 that the peas are stored, the harm is done; 

 it is irreparable, but not transmissible. The 

 untouched seeds have nothing to fear from 

 the proximity of the seeds attacked, how- 

 ever long they may remain together. The 

 Bruchus will issue from the latter when her 

 time comes; she will fly out of the granary, 

 if escape be possible; if not, she will die 

 without in any way infesting the seeds that 

 are still sound. No eggs, no new generation 

 will ever be seen on the dried peas in our 

 storehouse; nor will any damage be caused 

 by the feeding of the adult." 



Our Bruchus is not a sedentary inhabit- 

 ant of the granaries: she needs the open 

 air, the sunshine, the freedom of the fields. 

 Very frugal on her own behalf, she absolutely 

 disdains the hardness of the legumen; all 

 that her slender snout requires is a few 

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