PKOCEEDINGS OF THE TIIIKD ENTOMOLOGICAL MEETING 733 



be stored in very large quantities is poured on the floor of ordinary 

 houses or rooms which may be filled to a great dejDth, the doors and 

 windows being stopped accordingly. Sand is said to be spread over 

 the grain sometimes when the grain thus stored is said to be Khapra 

 grain. More frequently bhusa is said to be used for this purpose. The 

 upper layers of the grain are always spoilt by insects. Rohtak is said 

 to be the place where the best kotha system is practised, and, according 

 to the agent of Messrs. RalU Brothers at Delhi, with whom one of the 

 wTiters (C. C. G.) discussed the question in March 1918, the best wheat 

 was available from Rohtak preserved according to the khapra system. 



Experiments with wheat. 



Experiments I, II and III. 



The prehminary experiments, viz., 1, II and III, were carried on 

 with a kind of hard wheat obtained from the local market. The wheat 

 was cleaned before use but not fumigated. It was apparently infected 

 while lying in the dealer's godown. 



Experiment I was carried on with stoppered jars (Plate 111, fiw. 3) 

 Experiment II with small earthen vessels with earthen covers (fitr. 3.) 

 and Experiment III with small gunny bags made by cutting pieces 

 out of ordinary ones. Two pounds of wheat was used in all cases. 

 The oils were rubbed over the grains with the hand. Camphor cakes (50 

 grains), garhc bulbs, naphthaline balls and king (asafoetida) were placed 

 in the midst of the grains. Lime, senwar leaves (Vitex negundo), 

 tobacco dust, powdered sulphur and powdered dacra stem (a plant said 

 to have insecticidal properties), were mixed with the grains. Sand, ashes 

 and road-dust were placed on the top of the grains. In the gunny ba^s 

 sand and ashes were used in large quantities and mixed with the grains. 

 Experiment I was started between 1st and 18th June 1915 and the 

 final examination was made on 7th March 1916. Experiments II and 

 III were started on 10th June 1915 and final examinations of the former 

 were made on 10th March 1916 and of the latter on the 23rd March 

 1916. For the convenience of comparison the results of the three 

 experiments are given together in the form of the weights left on the 

 date of the final examination after sieving out the dirt and insects as 

 much as possible. Fractions of ounces below a half are omitted half 

 ounces and more being taken as one ounce. In the places left blank 



