52 
FLOUR MILLS AND STOKES. 
sufficient, tlie further measures taken under an order from the 
Lieutenant-Governor; and I beg to acknowledge with thanks the 
courtesy of the Department of Agriculture of Ontario in furnishing me 
with copies of their exhaustive report on Ephestia Kuhniella , from 
which the following paragraphs in small type (marked as extracts) are 
given below:— 
First appearance of the Moth, and observations of spread of 
infestation: — 
“ The following statement is made by the manager of the mill in this Province 
in which the pest first appeared:— 
* The first appearance of the Ephestia Kuhniella , or Flour Moth, that we 
remember seeing was during the month of March last, 1889. The moth was seen 
flying about near a steam-pipe in the basement of the mill, and near the w. c. 
Little attention was paid to it, as from appearance it did not indicate any danger. 
In April there was an appearance of a few moths on the different floors of the mill, 
even at the top, but still there was nothing suspicious. In the month of May we 
were troubled with a few worms in some of our goods, and in June more of them 
appeared. In July they increased rapidly, and then we began to suspect they were 
from the fly which we had seen in the mill during the previous months, and which 
was steadily increasing in numbers. About the middle of July we shut down for a 
day or so, took the clothing from our bolting-reels, and cleaned it and washed the 
inside thoroughly with soft lye-soap and lime. We did the same with the elevators. 
When we started up again, every corner and part of the mill had been thoroughly 
cleaned, as we supposed, and we commenced to work again, but after about four 
days we found our bolting-reels, elevators, &c., worse than before. They were 
literally swarming with webs, moths, and worms, even inside the dark chambers of 
the reels. We shut down again, and made a more thorough cleaning by washing, 
&c. While this was going on, we found there was no use to try and clear ourselves 
of the pest, as the mill-walls, ceilings, cracks, crevices, and every machine was 
completely infested with moths, cocoons, and caterpillars, and there was no use 
going on. It then occurred to us that a plague like one of the plagues of Egypt was 
upon us. The moth was different to any of which we had had any knowledge or 
experience, and we decided to apply to the Dominion Government for relief and 
assistance.’ ” 
Attention was given to the subject by the Department of Agriculture 
of Ontario, and their advisers, including the Director-General of the 
Experimental Farm Stations and the Entomologist of the Dominion;— 
“We addressed the Government Entomologist, Mr. Fletcher, and sent him 
samples of the moth, caterpillars, webs, &c., and received a prompt answer, which 
considerably alarmed us. This letter was followed by others almost daily from 
Mr. Fletcher, and a visit from Prof. Saunders on August 17th. Mr. Fletcher visited 
us also on August 27th, but in the meantime Mr. Blue, the Assistant Minister of 
Agriculture for Ontario, visited us, and took in the whole situation. It was 
explained to Mr. Blue that the Dominion Government had been appealed to by us, 
through Mr. Fletcher, the Dominion Government Entomologist, for assistance and 
remuneration for the loss we had sustained. Mr. Blue, considering it to be a 
matter with which the Local Government had to do, brought Dr. Bryce, the 
Provincial Medical Inspector, and submitted the matter to the Government for 
