788 



rROCEEDINGS OF THE THIRD ENTOMOLOGICAL MEETING 



the report on the samples by Messrs. Parson and Keith, Brokers- 

 London. 



" Before speaking with absolute certainty, we shall have to test the samples. ..... 



Shipment of 20 to 25 bags of each quality." 



This shows what could be done to effect improvements consonant 

 with the requirements of the consumers, thereby benefitting the pro- 

 ducers, whose income from innovations is bound to improve, thereby 

 giving them fresh impetus to improve their hereditary industry insteacJ 

 of congregating in numbers in the already congested towns in search 

 of emplo}aiient. I think what has been done barely touches the fringe 

 of the present as well as the future requirements, and brings to the fore 

 the question of more workers with fresh ideas to tackle the problem in its 

 varied aspects. The subject, I think, can be taken up for the present 

 in its three broad aspects from (1) biological, (2) chemical and (3) , 

 mechanical aspects and I think I should not detain you any longer with 

 minute details of these. 



But before commg to a fuller consideration of the three aspects of 

 the industry mentioned above, it would be well to get a glimpse of the 

 industry as it stands at present in the various provinces of India. As 

 regards cultivation and collection of stick-lac, Assam, Bihar and Orissa, 

 and the Central Provinces rank foremost. Thereafter come the other' 

 provinces; such as the United Provinces, the Punjab, Bengal, Bombay, 

 etc., and I cannot do better than give a short account of each provmce. 



Assam. The districts where lac in quantity is grown or cultivated 

 are : — Sibsagar. Nowgong, Cachar, Kamrup, Garo and Khasi Hills-, 



