264 BOTANICAL GAZETTE {APRIL 
Damp seeds are injured to a much less extent when fumi- 
gated with hydrocyanic acid gas if they are washed immedi- 
ately after removing from the poisonous atmosphere. 
The vitality of damp seeds is seriously injured if treated for 
three hours with gas from 0.25®" of potassium cyanid per cubic 
foot, provided the seeds are not washed after removing from the 
nfluence of the gas. On the other hand, damp seeds may be 
treated with the same strength of gas for six hours with no 
appreciable injury, provided they are washed and placed in an 
atmosphere of ordinary air to germinate. 
Dry seeds treated for several days with hydrocyanic acid gas 
_ of any strength will not be injured for food. 
Damp seeds treated with hydrocyanic acid gas of any strength, 
and even for short periods of time, should not be used for food 
until several hours after removing from the gas. The effect of 
the gas eventually passes off and the grain may be eaten with 
safety, although long exposure to the gas seems to render it 
unpalatable. Grains and other seeds may be fumigated with 
hydrocyanic acid gas for the destruction of insect pests without 
injury to the germinating quality of the seeds and without ren- 
dering them injurious as foods. 
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE, 
College Park, Md. 
