inay ailord sufficient room for the beetles below the paper 

 to move about as they please, and consequently to reproduce. 

 The idea was thus abandoned. The next idea that occurred 

 was to have a layer of seeds of castor. {Kicmus corumunis) 

 or of Ahrus precatorius on the top of the pulses. 

 Castor has got a very thick shell too hard for the larva to 

 penetrate and develop and Ahrus 'precatorius has a very 

 smooth seed coat. When beetles were compelled to lay eggs 

 on these, no progeny followed even though a number of 

 larvae successfully penetrated. Unfortunately, however, when 

 these seeds were spread as a top layer, the insects while they 

 came above them on emergence, got back to the pulses below 

 instead of depositing the eggs on the seeds above. The last 

 idea was to spread a layer of sand. This had been tried pre- 

 viously mixed with pulses and had proved useless because, as 

 was found later, the beetles could work their way through 

 to the top where some of the seeds were lying exposed un- 

 covered by it. When used as a top layer it was found quite 

 effective, but the layer should be at least half an inch thick. 

 In thinner layers the insects displayed the remarkable habit 

 of bringing up the seed. Two or three of these joined and 

 brought up seeds in which eggs were subsequently deposited. 

 Eggs were not laid, however, on the seed below the sand. 



This is then the remedy that has occurred to us as equally 

 efficient, simple and within the means of the poorest raiyats. 

 The bin best suited for storage is the one already described, 

 having a narrow neck with a large base. The sand is put 

 as a top layer. The lid remains closed as a rule, the quantity 

 required being withdrawn from the hole at the side near the 

 base. The brood from the initial infestation will work their 

 way to the top of the sand layer and will die there Avithout 

 being able to lay eggs. And since the lid remains closed 

 until the whole basket has to be emptied, chances of infes- 

 tation during storage are reduced to a minimum. 



Before covering the top layer with sand, it is necessary 

 to see that the seeds are pressed down well in the basket. 

 Otherwise the gradual settling after storage may so disturb 

 the sand layer that gaps in it may be formed especially 

 along the sides of the basket exposing the seeds and allowing 

 the beetles to come up. It is further necessary that no seeds 

 should be withdrawn for at least a month after storage for 

 the removal may have much the same effect on the sand 

 layer. Assuming the seeds are infested at the time of storage 

 at least a month must elapse before the adults arising from 

 the infestation emerge and come to the top and die. Any 



