SHUCK PROTECTION^ FOR EAR CORN". 5 



that could be definitely attributed to them. As. there was abundant 

 evidence of damage due to the weevils, it was concluded that so far 

 as these two classes of insects were concerned the weevils, though 

 greatly outnumbered by the beetles, had undoubtedly done most 

 of the actual damage to the grain. 



STORAGE INVESTIGATIONS. 



Representative ears in their shucks were taken from the plat in 

 which the field investigations were made and stored in a tight 

 galvanized-iron bin. In August, 1916, or about 10 months after the 

 corn was first stored, the ears were classified in accordance with the 

 kind of shuck covering foimd and then carefuUy examined for insect 

 infestation. 



Table II shows the relation of the shuck covering to the percentage 

 of ears infested with weevils and beetles. 



Table II. 



-Relation of the shuck covering of corn to insect infestation after 10 months 

 in storage. 





Percentage of ears- 



Kind of shuck covering. 



Infested with— 



Not 





Weevils. 



Beetles. 



infested. 



Poor 



97 

 55 



4 



100 

 100 



77 





Good, with wormholes 





Good, without wormholes 



23 







Total 



66 



95 



5 







A total of 206 ears was examined. Of the ears in poor shucks, 97 

 per cent were infested with weevils (PI. I) and 100 per cent with 

 beetles, none being free from infestation. Of the ears in good shucks 

 with wormholes, 55 per cent were infested with weevils and 100 per 

 cent with beetles, while none was free from infestation. Of the ears 

 in good shucks without wormholes, 4 per cent were infested with 

 weevils and 77 per cent with beetles, 23 per cent being free from aU 

 infestation (PI. II). 



A comparison of the classes with different shuck coverings showed 

 93 per cent more weevil infestation and 23 per cent more beetle 

 infestation in poor shucks than in good shucks without wormholes. 

 The wormholes through what was otherwise good shuck coverings 

 permitted increased infestation amounting to 51 per cent for weevils 

 and 23 per cent for beetles. 



In this, as in the field investigations, it was found that beetles 

 infested many more ears than the weevils. If they were a factor in 

 damaging ear corn of adapted varieties, the shuck covering would be 



