220 Pub. Puget Sound Biol Sta. Vol. 2, No. 47 



a loop at the end of each. The cut ends of three wires are pushed down 

 through vertical grooves on the inner surface of the door and up through 

 corresponding grooves in the piston^ drawn tightly with strong pincers, 

 caught in the loop and fastened on top of the bale. The pressure is then 

 released^ the door opened and the bale removed. Clean paper is spread 

 out and the bales are piled on it with the unprotected surface down. They 

 should be turned from time to time. 



The first bales were made early in July^ some of dry moss, some with 

 the moss slightly dampened, and others with it saturated. Several of 

 each kind were made and stored in a well ventilated room. After two 

 months one of each of these was opened and examined, with the most 

 satisfactory results, specially with the moderately moist and wet bales. 

 The dry moss, however, was broken up too much, and after further experi- 

 ments it was finally abandoned as being impracticable. At the end of 

 four months the baled, damp moss was just as fresh and sweet as when 

 it was first baled, with no sign of heating or mildewing. 



In order to safeguard against mildew, in some of the bales a small 

 amount of 4% solution of formaldehyde was sprayed when about half of 

 the moss for the bale was in the trough. The rest of the moss was then 

 put in and baled in the usual manner. In most cases, however, this was 

 found to be unnecessary, and in some cases even a disadvantage, because 

 the moss kept moist so long that the gas did not evaporate from the center 

 until the bales were opened, and then it was irritating to the sorter. At 

 the writer's request, Dr. Walton Haydon, of Marshfield, Oregon, carried 

 on similar experiments, using an ordinary Pacific Coast paper baler 

 (plate 35), which makes a bale 24 x 18 x 18 inches (61 x 45.7 x 45.7 cm.). 

 In these practically the same results were obtained, except that they were 

 rather too large to handle conveniently. 



The above experiments show that the principle of baling sphagnum 

 for surgical dressings is an entirely satisfactory method of handling the 

 moss as it comes from the bog. As has been said it never heats and 

 seldom mildews except when infected by the container. If the bales are 

 covered with burlap that has not been sterilized, thej'- almost invariably 

 mildew. Experience has shown that after the bales are made they should 

 be kept in a well ventilated room, not piled too closely together and never 

 covered with anything that will likely contaminate them. The practica- 

 bility of baling sphagnum for surgical dressings is also in accord with 

 the experience of Dr. Porter in dealing with the Nova Scotia moss. 



Sorting Sphagnum 



There must at all times be a close relation between the process of 

 gathering moss and sorting it. Experience has shown that carelessness on 



