
242 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [ APRIL 
Division of Vegetable Physiqlogy and Pathology, and even 
before it was used for fumigating purposes its effect in solution 
was determined by Dr. Loew.3 
This gas has now come into universal use not only for the 
fumigation of trees and grains as above indicated, but also for 
the fumigation of greenhouses,‘ nursery stock, and even orchard 
trees of all kinds.5 
The object of the writer in performing these experiments, 
the results of which are herein recorded, has been simply to 
determine whether or not hydrocyanic acid gas has any injurious 
effect upon grains or other seeds; and, if so, under what condi- 
tions and to what extent the injury is produced. Hence this 
paper is merely preliminary to the more minute study of the 
subject, since it deals only with the cause and effect, while the 
nature of the action of the poison upon the several parts of the 
seed still remains for further investigation. 
In general the methods employed in these experiments have 
consisted simply in placing the seeds to be tested in air tight. 
chambers in which hydrocyanic acid gas is generated. In the 
first experiments the chambers consisted of air tight boxes of 
several cubic feet capacity, used primarily for the fumigation of 
nursery stock. These boxes were open on one side, the open 
side being placed next the ground, which was first made per- 
fectly smooth and level. In experimenting with these boxes, 
they were raised slightly on one edge, the material to be fumi- 
gated was placed under them, and at the moment the hydro- 
cyanic acid gas was generated the boxes were lowered and sand 
quickly pressed around the edges next the ground, making them 
practically gas-tight. In these as in the subsequent experiments 
the gas was generated by placing cyanid of potassium (KCN) in 
dilute sulfuric acid (H,SO,), the result of the chemical action 
being the evolution of hydrocyanic acid gas (HCN) according 
3LoEW: Natur. System der pecinims Bull. Imp. Univ. Coll. Agr. 1+: 34- 
1893. The poisonous action of dicyan 
4Woops and Dors : The use ae acid gas for fumigating green- 
houses and cold ra ‘tes no. 37. Ser. 2, U. S. Dept. Agr., Div. 
SJoHNSON: Reportonthe SanJoséscale. Bull. 57, Md. Agr. Exper. Station. 1897- 

