August, ’24] 
HAMLIN: PRICKLY-PEAR CONTROL 
451 
which could readily be dismantled, crated and shipped to the next 
field headquarters. The standard type decided upon is shown in Figs. 
3, 4, Pl. 7. 
This cage is 30 inches long by 24 inches deep by 24 inches high. 
The frame is covered on the inside by a double thickness of that grade of 
cheese cloth known as sanitary cloth. The tacked edges of cloth are 
more firmly held down by placing a p 2 inch by inch strip over them. 
This strip is of the same thickness as the lumber in the frames, and is set 
just one-half inch from the edge of the frame. The cage when assembled 
is held together by three screws along each corner. The top, fitting 
snugly into place, rests upon the top half-inch strips of the sides and 
ends, and needs no fastening. It therefore acts as a door. By virtue of 
the half-inch strips a three-way fit is secured along each line where one 
piece of the cage attaches to another. 
The cloth of the cage provides ample ventilation and a sufficiency 
of sunlight. When dismantled each unit part of the cage has its own 
covering of cloth intact. After crating and shipping, a minimum of time 
and labor is required to reestablish the cage. The frame is readily re¬ 
covered with cloth by dismantling, removing the half-inch strips, and 
later replacing them. 
The cage itself has no bottom. It rests upon the earth in a wooden 
tray which, in turn, is supported by a stool, the legs of which are im¬ 
mersed in cans of water. This expedient safeguards the contents of the 
cage from the depredations of ants. The cactus is planted in the earth 
which fills the tray. The frame-cloth cage is securely wired to the tray 
which holds the earth, effectually preventing overturning by high winds. 
This rearing cage was used throughout the North American work 
and was found by the writer to be equally suitable in Australia. The 
demountable feature has effected a considerable economy in the North 
American work. 
Small, ventilated wooden cases with screw-on tops were found most 
useful for posting cactus, bearing fungi and bacterial soft-rot to Australia. 
They have been of great service also in sending living insects from place 
to place in the United States and Australia. 
Preparation of Material Before Shipment 
Preliminary to all actual preparation of material was the collection 
of the various organisms in the field. This activity necessitated, of 
course, a simultaneous study of the identities, habits, preferred hosts, 
