62 FARM SPIES 



At the day and time set for ' the meeting the 

 farmers came from far and near, over all kinds of 

 roads, some on horseback, others on foot, and others 

 came in big farm wagons. Some of the business 

 men came in automobiles. Jack said that his big 

 grove back of the barn was " chuck" full of mules, 

 wagons, automobiles, and people. He said, "I am 

 sure glad that my place is a little hilly, for if it were 

 flat there would not be room for them all." 



The entomologist came out of the crib and spoke 



to them: "This 

 black weevil is by 

 far the worst enemy 

 the corn crop around 

 here has to face. 



FIG. 34. "Into these they lay their eggs." 



how these pests keep up their great numbers. 

 The females bore little holes into the kernels, 

 and into these they lay their eggs. One egg is 

 laid in each hole, and the mother does everything 

 she can so that no harm will come to the eggs or 

 the little grubs that hatch from them. The holes 

 into which the eggs are laid the mother drills with 

 her little beak, which looks like a tiny elephant's 

 trunk. The mouth being at the end of the beak 

 makes it a very handy tool for digging. They make 

 the hole as deep as the beak is long, and then the 

 mother moves forward and puts into it her egg- 



