152 EXPERI3IENTAL FARMS 



5-6 EDWARD VII., A. 1906 



ANALYSIS OF FORMALDEHYDES. 



Perceiita,ge 



of Formaldehyde 



by weight. 



No. 1. From Fulford-Leonard Drug Co., Brandon, Man. (clear). 38-0 

 No. 2. From Halpins Drug Store, Brandon, Man. (clear) . . . . 38-9 

 No. 3. From Clement Drug Store, Brandon, Man. (milky 



through polymerization) 38 '7 



No. 4. From Fleming's Drug Store, Brandon, Man. (milky 



through polymerization) 38-9 



No. 6. From Cereal Division, C.E.F %^'1y 



No. 6. From The Chemists and Surgeons Supply Co., Montreal. 37 -9 

 No. 7. Scherings Formalin, very old and badly polymerized sam- 

 ple 46-4 



No. 8. Scherings Formalin, very old and badly polymerized sam- 

 ple 34-4 



These results, generally, aj:e slightly higher than those obtained in 1903. Though 

 it is not advisable to drav7 hard and fast conclusions from a few samples, the data in- 

 dicate that there is considerable uniformity in strength among the brands found upon 

 the market. Samples No. 7 and 8 were taken from the same bottle, which had been in 

 the Farm Laboratory for more than 5 years; the formalin had become quite pasty 

 through polymerization. The thinner portion gave 34*4 per cent; the thicker 46*4 per 

 cent formaldehyde. 



Slight polymerization, as in samples 3 and 4, does not apparently affect the analy- 

 tical determination; excessive polymerization evidently interferes with the estimation. 



So far our analyses have not detected any wilful adulteration or material falling 

 oS in strength. 



ACTION OF FORMALIN ON THE VITALITY OF WHEAT. 



For this purpose we used two samples of Bed Fife wheat kindly furnished by Mr. 

 Bedford, Superintendent of the Experimental Farm, Brandon, Man. He writes : — 



' The 1904 sample is very smutty and is also badly rusted. Some think that rusted 

 grain is so weak in germination that formalin or bluestone will kill the germ and for 

 that reason do not treat it for smut. Information as to this will be gratefully received 

 by western farmers. The 1902 wheat has not so much smut and is not rusted.' In 

 the following table the treatment of these wheats is detailed, together with the results 

 of the vitality test. 



Percentage of Viialiiy. 

 1902. 1904. 



Wheat. Wheat. 



Untreated 91 98 



Formalin, fresh, 4i ozs. to 10 gals 66 86 



" polmerized, 4i ozs. to 10 gals 71 £2 



" fresh, 9 ozs. to 10 gals 69 72 



Bluestone, 1 lb. to 2\ gals 63 



(The treated wheats were immersed for 5 minutes, dried by exposure to the air, 

 end tested at once as to vitality). 



The results, it must be admitted, are not altogether satisfactory; the work must 

 be repeated before any final conclusion can be reached and any definite statement 

 made on several of the points under discussion. There are one or. two deductions, 

 however, that I think may safely be made, as follows: — 



