affecting the Corn- Crops. 
101 
had caused a great waste. The season suited to the propagation 
of the corn-weevils appears to be uninterrupted, for I have observed 
them in extensive flour-mills in Norfolk in the spring ; in June 
and July they were abundant in the sweepings of a malt-house in 
Norwich; in September and the three following months in gra- 
naries, and during the winter they attacked and ate up some 
pearl-barley ; and at certain congenial periods the beetles may be 
seen in multitudes, even on the outside of granaries and malt- 
houses in London. 
So important is this subject, that a variety of remedies have 
been successively proposed for many years, which I shall now 
consider ; and, although some of them may appear trifling, they 
will not only show how far advanced we are above our ancestors in 
such knowledge, but they may chance to elicit better modes of 
application, and even to suggest new ideas. We first hear of 
fumigation, with herbs having a strong and disagreeable odour ; 
but this seems to have been useless, as the weevils, by burying 
themselves amongst the grain, are by no means incommoded, 
whilst the corn has suffered from fetid and disguslmg scents 
which have been communicated to the grain. It is even asserted 
that the scent of spirits of turpentine appeared to cause the 
weevils no inconvenience ; but I think if it had been persevered in 
for several consecutive days, excluding at the same time the ingress 
of air, that it muse have destroyed them. The fumes of sulphur 
are said to be equally inefficient ; and all these fumigations are still 
less adapted to destroy the larvae, as the smoke cannot penetrate 
amongst the grain. 
Olivier * also says, " Some have imagined, by putting the corn 
in pannelled cellars, or by sifting it in winter, the corn would be 
secured from the weevils ; but this is a great mistake, for, inde- 
pendent of the difficulty of preventing its germinating and rotting, 
the weevils would be undisturbed, and more sure to commit their 
ravages. The sifting is likewise useless in winter, as the weevils 
have then left the corn-heaps ; the eggs are also so well glued to 
the grain that it is impossible to separate them by sifting or 
stirring with the shovel. Experiments have proved that a sudden 
heat of 19^ (about 7^*^ Fahr.) is sufficient to destroy the vveevilsj 
without burning them ; but this would not suffocate the insects 
when they are buried in a heap of corn. It has been observed 
* These suggestions are translated from the Ency. Meth., vol. v. p. 444. 
+ Vide a note a few pages back. The discrepancies and attendant 
doubts regarding these subjects are fit inquiries to be made by some 
talented ciiemist and entomologist ; but as the time such experiments and 
investigations require cannot be expected to be made by scientific men 
without remuneration, it is to be hoped that some plan may be adopted by 
the Government in this enlightened age to settle such important questions, 
which would be doing an essential service to the country. 
