CHAPTER XVII 

 GRAINS AND OTHER SEEDS 



N view of the fact that hydrocyanic acid gas is 

 being universally used as a fumigant for the 

 destruction of insects in grain and seeds stored 

 in various enclosures, it became necessary to 

 know how this gas would affect edible and germinating 

 properties of the grain. Conclusive and detailed 

 results were obtained by Dr. Charles O. Townsend, 

 now Pathologist in the U. S. Department of Agricul- 

 ture. The work was done in connection with the 

 Maryland State Horticultural Department while he 

 was State Pathologist. The methods employed in 

 these experiments consisted simply in placing the seeds 

 to be tested in air-tight chambers and then generating 

 the desired amount of gas. In the first experiments 

 air-tight boxes of several cubic feet capacity, such 

 as are used by nurserymen, were employed. In these 

 various experiments the gas was generated in the same 

 manner as for nursery stock. In later experiments 

 Dr. Townsend used large glass bell- jars. The jars were 

 so arranged that the gas could be generated and kept 

 within them for any length of time with the seeds. 



The seeds used were mostly corn, wheat, beans and 

 clover. Occasionally other seeds were used, but those 

 mentioned were carried through all the experiments 

 and fairly represent the common grains and other seeds. 

 Some seeds under certain conditions seem to be more 



