328 



in the stra^r until September, and vrhen. thrashed is left in small balk, or often 

 stirred, nearly all the grains mar be wee^-il-eaten: but if wheat be thrashed and 

 well fanned early in July, in this region, there will be no weevils worthy of notice. 

 The eggs previonsly laid probably do not exist on the grains, but on the chaif or 

 shuck in which they are inclosed, and, in hatching, the maggots must perish for 

 want of food. As is the case with corn, the bulk of clean wheat is not exposed to 

 subsequent layings, except on the grains at the surface of the bulk. Even if the eggs 

 had iDreviously been attached to and had remained with the grains instead of the 

 chaff, as I infer to be the case, and then hatched in the interior of the bulk, the wee- 

 vils could not escape from such close confinement, but would die without increase. 



Seed wheat is usually kept spread out at least ten inches thick, in order to avoid any 

 possible heating from remaining moisture, and by some farmers is frequently stirred, 

 both of which conditions offCT a greater opportunity for the depredations of these in- 

 sects, >'otw-ithstanding this, it is rare that they become numerous. 



The bulking of early thrashed wheat without separating the chaff is also said to 

 be sufficient protection from the weevil. Of this mode I have no experience. Its 

 efficacy must depend, not on the removal of the eggs, but on the stiffing of the mag- 

 gots, and the inability of either the maggots or the moths to move in so close a mass. 



Against tliis insect as a corn pest the iDractice is being generally 

 adopted in some sections of tlie sontli. largely ui^on the recommenda- 

 tions of the Division of Entomology. Department of AgTicultare, of 

 gTowing only such varieties of corn as have a close-fitting husk, thus 

 preventing the insects from laying their eggs upon the corn in the field. 

 and of storing the corn in cribs without removing the husk. The dam- 

 age done by the weevil is thus reduced to a minimum, although the 

 storage space required is gTeatly increased. 



It may be well to add that the bisulphide of carbon treatment above 

 outlined is efficacious not only against the so-called Fly TTeevil. or An- 

 goumois Grain Moth, as it is sometimes called, but against all other in- 

 sects which affect stored grain, and of these we have some five or six 

 species in this country, all beetles in the parent stage. I may also add 

 that this capital remedy was first suggested by Dr. C. V, Eiley. in the 

 columns of the Farmers' Sevieic of Chicago, in March. 1S79. 



In the purchase of bisulphide of carbon, co-operation can be used to 

 great advantage. It can be bought from wholesale chemists in 50- 

 pound cans for 15 cents per pound. At retail it costs from 25 to 35 

 cents per pound. It is perhaijs unnecessary to state that when not in 

 use it should be kept in tightly closed receptacles, in which there is as 

 little air-space as possible. 



DESCRIPTIONS OF NOCTUID^ FROM THE DEATH VALLEY. 



By Prof. J. B. Smith. Xtic Brun-siricJ:. X. J. 



Peridroma demutabllis. n. sp. iPig. 46. 1'. — Ground color grayish white, ^th a 

 more or less obvious luteous po^^dering. Head immaculate. Collar ^ith a vari- 

 ously distinct luteous or smoky median line. Disc of thorax Tvhite. luteous or 

 smoky. Patagise Tvith luteous or smoky margins. Primaries strigate. the dark 

 shadings luteous or smoky, the median line '^anting. There is a basal black 

 streak, above "which the base is white and below which it is quite dusky; to this 



