TRANSFER OR ARTIFICIAL PROPAGATION. ; ey 
less exact method has been to place a limited number of squares in a 
tumbler on moist or dry soil in order to make the time of develop- 
ment more nearly normal. These tumblers were covered with 
cheese cloth and tagged. 
When definite records were not requisite large quantities of squares 
or bolls were placed in Riley breeding cages and the parasites were 
obtained in larger quantities with less mortality, which is frequently 
caused by rough handling in the closer examinations. Closed boxes 
with numerous tubes on one side, after the pattern of the parasite 
breeding cages adopted by the California board of horticulture, 
were also used for small quantities of squares. These cages probably 
hasten development by increasing the heat and moisture. 
There was, however, another problem which proved beyond solu- 
tion for this season. It may be described as the effort to induce 
the parasites to attack the stages in forms placed in cages of various 
kinds. No positive results were obtained, but considerable experience 
was gained in the matter of breeding-cage technique. 
The first work was done with various kinds of glassware, closed 
with cheese cloth. As fast as males and females of the same species 
could be bred they were isolated in pairs and placed with a limited 
number of infested squares. These squares were fresh, flared, or 
fallen, in order to test all conditions. 
Glass tumblers covered with cheese cloth proved too dark. When 
dry earth was placed in the tumbler or when there was no earth, the 
squares rapidly dried and became very hard, and the parasites 
quickly died. When moistened earth was used the squares quickly 
molded-and the parasites were killed by the fungus. When a water 
reservoir was sunk in the earth the parasites drowned. 
When glass lamp chimneys were placed on clay saucers filled with 
moist soil there was plenty of light and the material remained in 
good condition. The objection to this method is that the parasites 
can not be easily handled. 
Erlenmyer flasks gave plenty of light and were easy to handle as 
they have a small mouth, but they sweat profusely and the parasites 
were caught in the moisture on the glass. Blotters, absorbent 
cotton, and corks with large wire-covered openings failed to prevent 
the sweating. 
The last attempt on this line was with mica lamp chimneys such 
as are used with the ordinary incandescent gas burners. These 
were covered at both ends with cheese cloth. They are of light 
weight, give plenty of sunshine and sufficient circulation. For a 
small breeding cage they are very handy in many ways. But the 
parasites did not attack the weevil even in these cages. 
In all of the above types of cages the life of the parasite was 
hardly a day. In wire types of cages the parasites lived several 
days. In the following, several of each sex of the parasites were used. 
