318 



MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



and the development of this idea is shown in the illustrations that 

 follow : 



Fig. 105 shows the preparations made by the Southern Pacific 

 Company at their Oakland yards in California to enable them to 

 comply with the regulations of Quarantine Order No. 26 in the matter 

 of cars found' to contain cotton seed, by using live steam as a dis- 

 infectant. A spur track was set apart on which are jilaced all cars 

 in or upon which is found any cotton seed. At the head of this track 

 is stationed a steam boiler capable of maintaining 80 pounds pressure 

 of steam. From the boiler a service pipe runs parallel with the track, 

 with connections for introducing the steam supplied by the boiler 

 into the cars that are in need of disinfection. In the picture this 

 service pipe can be located as the one on which the inspector has 

 placed his foot. 



Fig. 106 shows a car during disinfection for cotton seed and the 

 possible presence of insects and diseases of the cotton plant. The 



Fig. 105. — Spur track and steam pipe line used for 

 disinfecting cotton cars. (Photo by L. A. Whitney.) 



connection from the service pipe up through the floor of the car can 

 l)e scon as also the steam issuing through the crevices and joints 

 surrounding the doors. This method of using steam as a disinfectant 

 for this purpose has solved the problem both from the standpoint of 

 economy and efficiency. The volume of steam searches out every 

 crack, niche and cranny, under the floor and l)ehind the lining; all 

 cotton seed in or upon the car is cooked until it is soft, and as a 

 result of a temperature high enough to accomplish this, all forms 

 of insect life that may be present are destroyed. Eight cars can be 



