REMEDIES AGAINST GRAIN-MOTHS. 507 



notched; and the wing-cases extend nearly to the hinder 

 extremity. The chrysalis-skin generally remains within the 

 grain when the moth comes out; in some few cases, how- 

 ever, it was found sticking out of the orifice in the kernel, 

 and sometimes in the crevices between the kernels. The 

 foregoing minute description, which is taken from perfectly 

 fresh and uninjured specimens, will serve to remove any 

 doubt as to the genus and species to which this corn-moth 

 is to be referred. 



It has been proved by experience, that the ravages of the 

 two kinds of grain-moths whose history has been now given 

 can be effectually checked by drying the damaged grain 

 in an oven or kiln ; and that a heat of one hundred and 

 sixty-seven degrees, by Fahrenheit's thermometer, continued 

 during twelve hours, will kill the insects in all their forms. 

 Indeed, the heat may be reduced to one hundred and four 

 degrees with the same effect, but the grain must then be 

 exposed to it for the space of two days. Insect-mills, some- 

 what like coffee-roasters on a large scale, have been invented 

 in France, for the purpose of heating and agitating the in- 

 fested wheat, by which the eggs and larvse of the little 

 corn-moth, or Butalis, are destroyed. Fumigation in close 

 vessels, with the gas of burning charcoal, is found to be 

 an effectual remedy ; and Dr. Herpin states that this process 

 neither imparts any bad flavor to the grain, nor does it 

 impair its power of vegetating. He recommends also the 

 early threshing and winnowing of wheat, as tending to pre- 

 serve it.* This, indeed, is advocated by the most experi- 

 enced wheat cultivators in this country, particularly if done 

 by machinery ; and it should not be deferred later than the 

 end of July. The concussion and agitation undergone by 

 the wheat in being threshed and winnowed, as intimated 

 by Dr. Herpin, Mr. Judah, and others, is supposed to dis- 



* See Duponchel, Le'pidopt. de France, Supplem., Tom. IV. pp. 450-453; and 

 Mr. Curtis's paper in the Journ. Roj^al Society of Agricult. of England, Vol. VIL 

 pp. 87 - 89. 



