INSTITUTE AND COLLEGE, PUSA, FOR 1912-13. fr3 



VI.— Special Investigations. 



(1) Insecticides.- — Various proprietary preparations 

 have been received for trial and reported upon. Many of 

 these are found either to fall short of what is claimed 

 for them or to be unsuitable for use in India. 



(2) Sericulture.- — The experiments with European Uni- 

 voltine races have been continued and have given satisfac- 

 tory results. The eggs which, as reported last year, were 

 sent to places in the hills, where the temperature is not so 

 extreme as on the plains, for storage during their dormant 

 period, have turned out very well and given as good results 

 as those which were cold-stored in a refrigerator in 

 Calcutta. The hybridisation work with mulberry worms 

 has been continued and more satisfactory results have been 

 obtained. 



Eri silkworms were again reared with good results, 

 except during the hot dry months when con ait ions are 

 extremely unfavourable. With this industry there is great 

 need for better organisation both with regard to the dis- 

 tribution of seed and the disposal of cocoons. Efforts have 

 been made to make arrangements whereby small rearers 

 can dispose with advantage of the small quantities of 

 cocoons they produce, but much closer co-operation among 

 the rearers will be necessary before this can be done satis- 

 factorily. The necessity, too, of a certain supply of reliable 

 eggs has been felt this season and it is hoped that arrange- 

 ments to overcome this difficulty may be made in future. 



Requests for mulberry and castor seeds, disease- free 

 Mulberry and Eri eggs, samples of cocoons, yarn, cloth, 

 pamphlets, etc., have been received from numerous appli- 

 cants, whose requirements have been supplied as far as 

 possible. Sample pieces of both Eri and Mulberry silk 

 cloth have been prepared and dyed with alizarin colours to 

 show Indian weavers the possibilities of these silks. 



Exhibits were sent to Muzalferpore, Bankipur, Malda, 

 Banjettia, Ellore, Calcutta and Bangalore. 



(3) Lac culture. — Two short courses in lac cultivation 

 were given. The collection of lac insects from Forest 



