24 Farmers' Bulletin 1057. 



are less liable to attach to cattle after dipping. Probably, too, cattle 

 will be less inclined to drink the bath while going through the vat. 



Proprietary arsenical cattle dips appear now to have passed the 

 experimental stage and to have become established as reliable and 

 tiseful products. At any rate this can be said of the brands which 

 have received permission for use in official dipping in place of the 

 homemade dip. The formulas and standard samples of all such brands 

 are in possession of the Bureau of Animal Industry and the manu- 

 facturers are required to guarantee that their products as phu-ed on 

 the market will be kept up to standard and that all requirements of 

 the bureau will be observed. Like the homemade dip they all contain 

 sodium arsenite as the active tick-killing agent. They do not all 

 contain pine tar, because that substance is difficult to blend into a 

 highly concentrated product, but they all contain some other sub- 

 stance or mixture of substances of such character and in such quantity 

 as field trials have proved will jDroduce the same effects. 



They are not regarded as any more effective or any milder on the 

 cattle than properly prepared homemade dips. Xone the less they 

 are undoubtedly safer for general use because they offer decidedly 

 fewer opportunities for making mistakes in the quantities used or in 

 the operations gone through and also fewer chances for accidental 

 poisoning or other injurj^ from the handling of powerful chemicals. 

 "Whether their higher cost is sufficiently outweighed by tliese con- 

 siderations is necessarily a matter for individual decision. 



• MAKING THE S-B DIP.' 



Homemade dips usually are made after the " S-B "' formula. 

 This calls for two stock solutions, arsenic stock and tar stock, 

 which must not be mixed except in the diluted dipping bath. 



^ Abbreviated from " self-boiled," because sufficient heat to prepare the dip Is generated 

 by chemical aciion between tlie raw materials. The flokl men of tlie bureau do not ajiree 

 on the best metliod of mixing. The truth is that several modifications irive jrood results 

 in the hands of experienced men and each man naturally prefers the one witli which he 

 is most familiar. The method of mixing here given is the original method published In 

 Farmers' Bulletin 60.'^, and, all things considered, appears 1o be somewhat the safest to 

 recommend for general use, particularly to those who must dejiend entirely on printed 

 instructions. liut a modification devised by Dr. Harry Graflce, of the Hureau of Animal 

 Industry, may be of interest. lie says: " In a 5-gallon kettle or metal pail place the 10 

 pounds white arsenic, then add one-half gallon of cold water in small quantities at a 

 time, and stir with a broad paddle until all the arsenic is wet. Place the 4 pounds of 

 caustic soda in a gallon pail, add one-half gallon of water, and stir until the caustic soda 

 is i)ractically all dissolved. I^-an the top end of the broad paddle against tlu" lop of the 

 kettle containing the arsenic and without delay begin adding the (■■■lustle-soda solution In 

 small portions, allowing it to run down the surface of the broad paddle Into the arsenic 

 In such !! way as to avoid splashing. If the solution begins to boll considerably stop 

 adding the caustic-soda solution for a nioment. Occasionally stir the mixture while the 

 caustic-soda solution is being added, after which continue to stir tintll all the arsenic is 

 dlssolve<l. Without allowing tlie liijuid to cool, add the sjil soda mid stir for a few 

 moments, then add 1 gallon of water and continue to stir until the sal si»da is coni- 

 Iiletely dissolved." According to Dr. Grafke, this method is preferred by n considerable 

 number of experienced men. 



■v^ 



