PHOCEEDIXGS OF THE THIRD ENTOMOLOGIC.VL MEETING 755 



The seeds were : — 

 (a) Smeared with castor oil, mustard oil, sesamum oil, coconut oil, 

 mohwa {Bassia latifolia) oil, linseed oil and groundnut oil, 



(h) mixed with lime, sulphur powder, miirlii (fried rice) and blown 



salt, 

 (c) stored with camphor, King (asafoetida) and naphthaline, 

 (c/) covered with road dust, sand, and ashes, 



(e) dipped in salt solution, soda solution and lye (solution of 

 plantain ashes). 

 None of the treatments immunized the seeds, only road-dust, sand 

 and ashes in the earthen pots mechanically prevented the beetles having 

 access to the seeds which thus escaped damage. 



The oils retarded the attack. As long as the seeds remained moist 

 with oil they esqaped, but were attacked when the oils dried. The 

 seeds were stored in May 1916. By July 1916 those not .smeared with 

 oil were attacked,'the oiled ones not being attacked until about October 

 1916. 



The affected seeds Soon turned black and became unfit for use. The 

 seeds rmder sand kept their natural colour and appearance even after 

 about two and a half years (26th October 1918). Those under ashes 

 came next but were much inferior. The germination tests, however, 

 gave poor results, varying from 1 to 24 per cent. In the case of wheat 

 also the germination of seeds kept in earthen pots invariably gave poor 

 results. 



Kirao (Pisum arvense) and khesari {Lathyrus sativus) seeds, kept 

 from March 1917 to November 1917 under sand in a glass trough, gave 

 cent, per cent, germination. 



Conclusion. 

 The results aimed at in successful storage of grain are (1) that it 

 should remain undamaged by insects, (2) that it should not deteriorate 

 in quality, and (3) that it should not lose its germinating power when 

 required for use as seed. As ascertained by observation and detailed 

 in the section on " immunity or otherwise of stored seeds, etc.", all 

 grains are not liable to be attacked by insects and do not require special 

 precautions in storing. Those Uable to be attacked include our principal 

 food-stiiffs, viz., iicQ, wheat, barley, maize, jiia/ and the pulses. They 

 require special precautions for storage and in their case the above results 

 are usually recommended to be obtained by fumigating the grains with 

 carbon bisulphide before storing and then storing them in insect- proof 

 Teceptacles. In the case of Indian house-holders both these conditions 

 •are wanting. 



