BEAN AND PEA WEEVILS. 
S8 
in Brisbane less than 10 per c-enfc. of the beans were free from 
injury from this cause. Wlieu again the damaged beans are 
planted the effects due to the injury occasioned^ by die bean 
weevil aie \eiy manifest, for as has been recorded by I'rofessor 
E. A. Popenoe— as the outcome of investigations conducted at 
tie Kansas State Experiment Station with uuiaerous Viuietiesof 
t ese esculents, but 30 per cent, can survive the germinating 
Stage, and of this amount hut few individual plants make 
uit ler growth ow'ing to the more or less extensive damage 
which the seed leaves luivo experienced. The history of our 
now edge of this pest, which is very signihcant, may be briefly 
referred to. It is usually regarded as being a native of North 
merica. In 1831, in which year it was first described by Say, 
was noticed as being associated with an indigenous American 
plant belonging to the genus Astralagus, but not until 18(10, or 
until the lapse of nearly thirty years, did it earn notoriety by 
ecommg a destroyer of cultivated beans. Within ten years, 
however, of the latter event it had become widely dispersed, and 
had displayed its _ harmful propensities in nearly every State of 
f Union, and soon travelled even beyond the limits 
o le i ew \ orld, lor in 1875 it was even reintroduced to America 
in beans displayed at the Philadelphia International Exhibition 
from several foreign countries. The fact of the possibility- 
^ y ac \erted to -of its increase witliin stored beans favours 
journeying to all countries which are even indirectly 
commercial y related to its original liorae. And thus it is not 
surpusmg that It is now reported as existing in the West Indies, 
P * adeiia, the Canaries, the Mediterranean basin, 
eisia and finally Australia. How long it has existed here is 
r^ncertam, but it was first noticed by me in Brisbane four years 
in , ® is already reported to be here 
in the bean crop when this is harvested. 
dealf’^wPl^^-”®" Weevil.-The second of these insects to be 
nisoriim 1 I^PP^isiifly the notorious pea weevil, Brucbus 
Loir ® “ 1760. This Bruchus is rather 
liued iT^=^P 1- S23ecies, and is also a much more gaily 
L liX. TriT” 
O - c ■ blotelie, on the exposed portion of the hind-holy 
