Part I. ] 
Stebbinq : Note on the Lac Insect. 
29 
is by far the best, the crop being greater in quantity and better in 
quality than that produced on any other kind of tree. Probably this 
is partly due to the fact that by March the ‘ Kusum ’ is in full leaf and 
so affords shade and shelter to the young insects at the time they are 
incrusting themselves. The insects swarm in February and in the 
last week of June or the beginning of July, the lac being collected during 
June and from about the 15th December to the 15th January, before 
swarming takes place. About 10 per cent, of the crop is kept as seed-lac, 
either special trees being reserved or a portion of the crop left on each 
tree, and when swarming time approaches the twigs covered with lac are 
loosely wrapped in rice straw and are tied on with more straw to branches 
of the ‘ Kusum ’ about 12 to 15 inches in girth, so that as the insects 
swarm they work up on to the smaller leaf-bearing branches and then 
proceed to produce a first crop of lac. The lac used for propagation is 
not wasted, however, for as soon as the insects have swarmed and got 
fixed, the seed lac, from which they have swarmed, is collected. In this 
manner the whole of the crop is collected, about 90 per cent, before swarm- 
ing and 10 per cent, after swarming, while future propagation is arranged 
for by placing the seed-lac in a favourable position instead of leaving the 
young insects to shift for themselves as they swarm from the ends of the 
small and already infected branches, when it is probable that a very 
large percentage are destroyed at once.” 
This provision of bridges to enable the twig-swarming larvse to reach 
unincrusted branches is of the utmost importance. Nature’s method 
to ensure the continuance of the species has been the production of a 
very large number of offspring owing to the certainty of large numbers 
perishing in the effort to reach suitable feeding places. Man, by assisting 
this latter operation in every possible manner, can turn to his own advan- 
tage this great profusion of offspring. 
At the time of the escape of the larvae the female insect is dead and is 
represented by little more than a shrivelled skin. 
The lac-incrusted twigs, called brood-lac, from which it is required 
to propagate the insect should not be cut off the trees until just before 
the period of swarming. Should they be cut too soon the sap dries up 
and the female insect in which the eggs are maturing will be killed. 
(6) In Areas under the Forest Department. 
The following information on the subject of the cultivation of lac 
