WINTER MOTH ; PARIS, OR EMERALD GREEN. 173 



On application to Messrs. Blundell & Spence, of Hull, as 

 being well-known manufacturers and great exporters of Paris- 

 green, Mr. J. Dixon (Manager) wrote me on December 31st, 

 1889 : — " Emerald-green, Paris-green, Schweinfurth-green, 

 are different names for the same thing. The first name is 

 English, and is the one used in most of our Colonies, India, 

 and China ; the second is the American term ; the third only 

 used in Germany, and by German traders. 



"Emerald- or Paris-green is a double salt of arsenite and 

 acetate of copper — in other words, an aceto-arsenite of copper. 

 You may take the U.S.A. analysis of Paris-green as correct. 



" The pure article (which is that used as an insecticide) is 

 a true crystal, and varies in colour from a deep to a pale 

 green, according to the size of the crystals." 



Mr. Dixon also favoured me with the following percentage 

 analysis of pure Emerald-green : — 



" Percentage composition of Emerald-green : — 



Per cent. 



"Copper .... 32-11 



Arsenic .... 28'56 



Oxygen .... 32*48 



Hydrogen .... 0*76 



Carbon .... 6-09 



Total . . 100-00." 



Cautions to be observed in the use of Paris-green. — The bags 

 should be labelled Poison, and kept locked up, and especially 

 kept safely out of the way of children, who might be attracted 

 by the beautiful colour. 



Workers with the powder should not allow it to settle in an}^ 

 sore or crack in the skin of the hands, nor stir it about un- 

 necessarily with the hands ; and they should be very careful 

 not to breathe in the powder through mouth or nose ivhilst 

 measuring or mixing it. 



For this reason it is most desirable that purchasers of 

 Paris-green should have it sent not in bulk, to be divided for 

 use on receipt, but wrapped in single pound (or small) 

 packages by the senders, or, what is better still, have it in 

 the form mentioned as "Paris-green paste," that is, the 

 powder just damped so that it cannot fly about. If swallowed 

 in any quantity by being drawn in with the breath it would 

 certainly be harmful. An instance is on record in which a 

 man employed to weigh out and wrap 5 cwt. in 1 lb. papers 

 lost his life therefrom. But with the most ordinary care the 

 application may be mixed and used, as well as hellebore and 

 other poisons often applied in orchard and other farming 

 work, with perfect safety. 



