698 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [11 Nov., 1918. 



satisfactory. "Whitewashing curtains improved their resistance to fly- 

 ing beetles. He calculated that a 60,000-bag stack could be covered 

 with malthoid, as explained by Dr. Hargreaves, at a cost of 2.8d. oi< 

 3d. per bag. This did not include the cost of the floor. 



The Chaieman mentioned that the results as to asphyxiating of 

 weevils were in complete accord with those obtained by Professor 

 Dendy in England. 



Mr. Baker, on behalf of the Victorian Wheat Board, stated that 

 no independent researches had been carried out in Victoria which had 

 been free from serious weevil infestation until this year. Machinery 

 for heat treatment was now being obtained, but in the light of Dr. 

 Hargreaves' work it would probably be better to proceed with malthoid 

 coverings. 



Mr. Love pointed out that much of the wheat at present stacked 

 was so badly infested that it would be necessary to clean and recon- 

 dition it, but he was hopeful that covering with malthoid would pre- 

 vent further damage. He thought there was a possibility of the eggs 

 lying dormant, and only developing when the stack was broken down. 

 Another possibility was that enclosing stacks with malthoid might lead 

 to a rise in temperature and the wheat becoming bin burnt. 



Dr. Hargreaves pointed out that the absence of oxygen would pre- 

 vent this. 



Mr. WiNTERBOTTOM Stated that a stack enclosed in April showed no 

 such effect after six months. ' 



Mr. Baker pointed out that heating only took place when moisture 

 got in through a leaky roof. 



Mr. Love, continuing, asked whether the gas treatment destroyed 

 rodents, and whether the purity of the gas could be maintained or 

 whether some other deleterious gases might not be evolved. 



Mr. Oman, on behalf of Victoria, congratulated Dr. Hargreaves and 

 his fellow workers on the success of their experiments. The greatest 

 difficulty hitherto had been how to stop the ravages of the weevil until 

 the wheat could be reconditioned; this difficulty appeared now to have 

 been overcome. 



Dr. Hargreaves expressed his gratification. Carbon dioxide was 

 not likely to damage the gluten, but might damage the germinating 

 power of the wheat, though Barnes and Grove had found otherwise. 

 So far as his experiments had gone at present, germination was not 

 affected. He emphasized the necessity for the control of fumigation 

 operations by a chemist. The carbon dioxide treatment killed rodents 

 as well as insects, and many dead rats and niice had been found. The 

 effect of heat was being investigated. There was a possibility that 

 starch might be hydrolised at 150 deg., though so far no bad effects 

 had been shown. 



Mr. Love, Mr. Pitt and Mr. Rossell added their congratulations 

 on the results of the South Australian experiments. 



Mr. Rossell thought the report from South Australia should be 

 printed, and that the practical points arising from it should be sent 

 to the Wheat Boards and made widely known amongst farmers. He 

 detailed the methods now being adopted in ]Srew South Wales to stack 

 wheat, which he regarded as fairly satisfactory. He mentioned that 

 the question of moisture absorption was being investigated by Mr. 

 Guthrie. He thought inquiries were necessary as to the reason why 



