I^O Indian Museum Notes [Vol. 17. 



been received in the Museum, in August 1896, from the Commissary- 

 General of the Punjab Command. The results of these experiments, 

 however, show more or less the failure of the methods adopted for 

 protecting grain, etc., from ^Yeevil ; — 



Peshawar District. — Result of storage in pits. — The pit was built in the 

 following manner. A depth of 5 to 6 feet was dug out and with the earth so 

 excavated a kutcha mud wall of the same height built up so as to give a total depth 

 of about 1 2 feet. 



Two feetof charcoal was placed at the bottom of the pit and the sides lined 

 with a wall of bhoosa about 2 feet thick, 2,000 maunds barley were stored in 

 April 1894. On opening the pit in October 1894 the barley was found to be in 

 very good preservation, but next to^the walls of the pit to a breadth of about 4 

 inches, the barley had become damped, probably through damp communicated 

 through bhoosa from the surrounding soil. There was a good deal of heat, but no 

 sign of weevil. 



Results of storage in Towers. — The tower was built on the same principle as 

 the loose bhoosa towers, viz., circular earthen enclosure roofed over with mud» 

 but with charcoal at the bottom, bhoosa at the sides and matting at top. 



Barley was stored in this tower in April 1894. On opening the tower in October 

 1894, it was found to be in perfect preservation. No sign of weevils, no damping, 

 no deterioration in any way, but there was a good deal of heat which was due to 

 the moisture natural to the grain itself. 



A further experiment was made during the rainy season (winter months). The 

 tower was opened on 2nd March 1895, the grain was perfectly dry at the top and 

 sides ; a small proportion appeared to have been eaten, but the presence of weevils 

 was confined to the top only, the grain in the middle and at the bottom was free. 



Rawalpindi District. — Result of storage in a pit. — The pit made was of the 

 following dimensions : — Depth 12 feet, diameter 20 feet, at bottom, 3 inches char- 

 coal was well beaten down, over which 20 inches white bhoosa was placed and 

 covered with chatai matting. At the sides there was chatai matting next to the 

 grain, then 2 feet bhoosa between the chatai and the walls, well trodden down. 

 The top was first covered with chatai, then a layer of coarse churrie, over that 

 about 3 feet dry earth, and finally three times plastering. 



It was filled with 2,000 maunds wheat on the 19th February 1894, and on 

 being opened on the 13th February 1895 white ants were found to have penetrated 

 through the earth at top, and the grain for about 6 inches from top surface was 

 found caked from damp and honey-combed in places with earth carried in by white 

 ants, and also contained a species of small weevils. Eighteen inches below the top 

 surface of grain, the temperature was 74°, and from the centre to bottom of pit it was 

 91° to 95°. 



Damp had penetrated on one side of the pit from 6 inches to 13 inches and con- 

 tinued right down to the bottom and slightly for about 2 feet down in one place 

 on another side. 



The wheat had a musty smell, but this diminished as the men got further down 

 and the grain at the botton was found to be the best preserved. 



Result of storage with Napthaline, — An experiment was made with one 

 pound of wheat with Napthaline placed in it. 



