THE 'SHOT-BORERS' OF BAMBOOS AND WOOD-BORERS. 23 



' In order to test this presumption I lately questioned a bamboo contractor 

 without giving him any leading question, and he told me that he believed that 

 there was something in the waning moon theory, but that he had come to the 

 clear conclusion that bamboos felled during March and up to the end of July 

 had less durability than those felled during the other months of the year. 



' As regards the phases of the moon, a hill man told me that he considered 

 that bamboos might be felled safely during the seven days before new moon 

 and the seven days after ; but on being pressed as to what he considered 

 absolutely as the best period he said during the seven days before. His theory 

 of the seven days after would seem to conflict with Mr. Woakes' theory.' 



The experiments carried out in Madras, although they cannot be considered 

 to have been as definite as is desirable, are still of very considerable interest. 

 They were initiated in four separate localities, viz., the Nilgiris, North Coim- 

 batore, South Coimbatore and South Malabar, and the following summarises 

 the observations made. 



Nilgikis, 



SOth June 1899. 



Bamboos were cut in all the ranges except Ootacamund a few days before 

 and a few days after new moon and full moon and kept separate from each 

 other. Some were smoked and others were soaked in water. It was found 

 that bamboos cut on dark nights and immediately soaked or smoked for a 

 period of two months were not attacked by the borers. From the experiments 

 conducted in the various ranges it was observed that bamboos felled during 

 moonlight nights were more severely attacked than those felled during dark 

 ones. That soaked bamboos fared much better than unsoaked ones. As a 

 result of the experiments the recommendation was made that as soon as felled, 

 the bamboos should be fully immersed in water for some time or properly smok- 

 ed in a shed, or otherwise they were liable to be attacked by the borers. 



As I have shown, however, in my previous papers on the preservation of 

 bamboos from the borers, neither immersion in water nor smoking are to be 

 depended upon as safe preventives. 



North Coimbatoee, 

 24th A ugustl 899. 



A series of experiments were conducted in the Satyamangalam Depot at the 

 foot of the Ootacamund Hills. During each week of the month one head load 

 of 25 bamboos of two kinds (dry solid bamboos known as ' Karanai ' and green 

 hollow bamboos known as ' Varar ') were set aside and marked. It was 

 observed that dry bamboos appeared to withstand the attacks of the borers 

 better than the green. In every case the insects attacked the bamboos in the 

 inside of the bundle first, i.e., those not exposed to light. This is a general 

 rule amongst these boring beetles who very generally, although by no means 

 always, attack in the shade in preference to strong light. 



As a result of the experiments conducted here it was held that the phases 

 of the moon had no effect on the felling season. It was noted, however, that 



