Oct. IS, 1921 



Hydrocyanic Acid in Sudan Grass 



131 



hydrogen. No hydrocyanic acid was obtained from the grass kept in an 

 atmosphere of hydrogen, whereas from that kept in carbon dioxid con- 

 siderable amounts were obtained. Some macerated grass was also placed 

 in a desiccator from which the air was exhausted continuously. This 

 did not seem to affect the amount of hydrocyanic acid obtained, but the 

 experiment was not satisfactory. The effect of keeping the grass in 

 different atmospheres needs further study. 



Table IX. — Effect of different treatments after cutting on hydrocyanic acid content 



Date collected. 



July 8. 



July 10. 



Treatment. 



'Placed uncut in bottles and covered with water two days 



Distillate from this water 



Placed uncut in sealed mason jar with small amount of water 

 two da^'s 



Placed uncut in sealed mason jar with small amount of chlo- 

 roform two days 



Placed uncut in sealed mason jar for 2 days, no water 



Placed uncut in bottle 2 days, covered with water 



Obtained by distilling water from this 



Macerated and digested 2 daj^s in water 



<! Macerated and placed in bottle 2 days then water added and 



distilled 



[Macerated and placed in open pan 2 days 



HCN. 



Mgm. 



12 

 Trace. 



EFFECT OF HOT WATER 



To determine this relation, enough grass was cut to make twenty-four 

 200-gm. portions of leaves. After the preliminary treatments as indi- 

 cated in Table X, one set of 12 samples was digested in cold water and 

 another set of 12 samples in hot water. 



Table X. — Effect of adding hot water on amount of hydrocyanic acid obtained 



Time of 



drying in 



shade. 



(hours). 



7- 

 28 



Treatment before digestion. 



Uncut 



Cut in feed cutter , 



Macerated 



Uncut 



Cut in feed cutter . 



Macerated 



Uncut 



Cut in feed cutter. 



Macerated 



Uncut 



Cut in feed cutter. 

 Macerated 



Time of digestion. 



5 hours. . . . 



do 



do.... 



24 hours. . . 



do.... 



do.... 



Overnight. 



do.... 



do.... 



30 hours. . . 



do.... 



do.... 



HCN obtained after 

 adding — 



Water at 

 room tem- 

 perature. 



Mgm. 



10 



7 



14 

 34 



8 

 12 



19 



4 



10 



19 



Boiling 

 water 



Mgm. 



Trace. 



Trace. 

 2 

 2 



65508°— 21- 



