PROCEEDINGS OF THE SECOND ENTOMOLOGICAL MEETING 105 
I cannot say anything very definite as to the conditions under which Mr. M. M. Lal. 
we find more or less parasites. But their occurrence generally depends 
on the preceding winter. If the winter is severe, it seems to affect the 
parasites and in the following summer their numbers are less. 
In that case the control of the bollworm can be attained by reintro- Mr. Fletcher. 
duction of the parasites. This has been done to some extent, I know, 
and we have sent living parasites (Rhogas) from Pusa to the Punjab 
during the last two years with this object in view. Can you tell us what 
has been done in this line in the Punjab ? 
We receive the parasites from Pusa in June and July and liberate Mr. M. M. Lal. 
them in the parasite-breeding plots and in this way we get them estab- 
lished by the time the cotton is in boll. The parasites do not seem to 
attack the bollworm in the buds and flowers quite to that extent as 
they do when the caterpillars are in the bolls. When the parasites 
get well established in the parasite-breeding plots, we remove the affected 
bolls and place them in parasite boxes which are sent out and placed in 
badly affected cotton-fields. But, before despatching, we make abso- 
lutely certain that the parasite boxes contain the parasites in them. 
About what date do you have these parasite boxes ready for distri- Mr. Fletcher. 
bution in the affected fields ? 
By the second week in August we get the parasites established and Mr. M. M. Lal. 
from that time onwards we begin to distribute them, until about Novem- 
ber. 
How is the distribution of these boxes carried out ? Mr. Fletcher. 
We train a number of Agricultural Assistants to help us in the work Mr. M. M. Lal. 
of distribution of the parasite boxes in the districts. Last was the 
first year in which we distributed these boxes on an extensive scale 
throughout the Punjab. We took up this work in four districts in 
which the Agricultural Staff was able to carry it out. The first lot of 
parasite boxes. was sent out from Lyallpur to’ each of these districts, 
in which it was placed in bollworm-affected cotton-fields and left for a 
fortnight ; at the end of that time, affected cotton-bolls in the adjacent 
area were collected and placed in other parasite boxes and distributed 
further. Each District Staff was given one hundred of the parasite 
boxes and these were used over and over again, because all the parasites 
leave them within fifteen days. When the parasites were established 
the boxes were refilled with bollworm-affected bolls and distributed 
again. ; 
Were these secondary sendings of boxes, sent out by the District Mr. Fletcher. 
Agricultural Staffs, examined to see that they actually did contain 
the parasites ? 
