34 
oied to ti ace it to its original source, but the more material and 
racts I gathered on this point, the more complicated the matter 
became, and 1 linally concluded it was unsafe lo assume that the 
moth came at any stated time from any given locality. 
My first correspondent, on whose premises the moth was first 
discovered, has given me much valuable information on this 
subject, and ii all millers on the Pacific coast had taken as firm 
a stand, and fought as persistently as he has for the past three 
years, the Mediterranean flour molh would not now be so widely 
distributed. May 24, 1892, he wrote me as follows: “I desire to 
say that you are correct regarding the moth, and I know that it 
is a great pest. We have endeavored to exterminate it, and have 
succeeded in keeping it in check somewhat by constant sweeping 
and cleaning, and by burning sulphur in the building; but we 
must now adopt some other means, as it seems to be’ gaining 
during this warm weather.” 
I visited the mill again June 4, 1892, making a thorough in¬ 
spection, and found a frightful state of affairs. Only a few moths 
were seen in the basement, but on the other floors I found a 
very different state of things. In some parts the moths were 
found upon every piece of machinery and apparatus, and could be 
seen in great numbers upon the sacks in which large quantities 
of flour, meal, and grain were stored. Hundreds were clinging to 
the sides of the mill and about the window's. An occasional 
moth would take wing when disturbed, but as a rule they were 
quiet. They were even in the dark chambers of the reels. The 
larvae were found in every crack and angle about the ma¬ 
chines and wood-work, around bolt heads, in nail holes, and in 
every crevice where masses of flour had collected. They were 
particularly abundant in the spouts and elevator legs. I scooped 
down a handful of the dust that had accumulated in one of the 
spouts, and upon careful examination found thirty-five larvm 
varying from one eighth to one half inch in length. All the 
spouts and elevators carrying the more glutinous cereals were in 
a similar condition. The larvae were also seen on piles of boxes 
containing breakfast foods. In fact, in the most isolated places 
I could find eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults. 
I made frequent \isits to the infested mills during the summer 
of 189o, and each time found the insect on the increase, and 
spreading fiom mill to mill. In April, 1894, I wrote the manager 
of the mill where I made my first observations, inquiring about 
the present condition of the place, as compared with one year 
ago, and leceived the following reply: “hollowing up my previous 
letter to you regarding the flour moth, and in answer to your 
specific questions in the letter just received from you, I would 
state that our mill is still infested to some extent, and w*e are 
still fighting it, keeping one man constantly employed for that 
purpose. The condition of the mill, how r ever, as compared with a 
year ago, is very much improved. We have the pest so in sub¬ 
jection that we are really not suffering any inconvenience from it, 
nor any loss, with the exception of the wages of the man em- 
