2 BULLETIN 366, U. S. DEPAETMEXT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Textile School. Xew Bedfcrcl, Mass., on t^vo separate lots of cotton, 

 a portion of each lot having been fumigated with hydrocyanic-acid 

 gas luider the supervision of the Federal Horticultural Board. In 

 each lot the fumigated cotton was compared with nonfumigated 

 cotton of the same lot. 



The principal points taken into consideration during the spinning 

 tests to determine whether the fibers were injured by the fumigation 

 were (1) the percentage of waste, (2) the spinning qualities, (3) the 

 tensile strength of the j^arn. During the laboratory tests the follow- 

 ing points were considered: (4) The bleaching properties of both 

 the cotton and yam, (5) the dyeing properties of the cotton an 

 yarn, and (6) the mercerizing properties of the yarn. 



In addition to the manufacturing tests, made b}' the Departmt. 

 of Agi'iculture, a number of manufacturing firms that regularly use 

 foreign-grown cotton conducted tests in order to ascertain whether 

 the fumigation of cotton with hydrocyanic-acid gas proved detri- 

 mental to their product. These tests were conducted in cooperation 

 with officials of the Department of Agriculture. 



Several manufacturing companies also sent yarns to Washington 

 which were tested in the yarn testing laboratory of the Department 

 of Agriculture for tensile strength. Two of these firms sent com- 

 plete reports which included the comparati^^'e waste percentages of 

 fumigated and nonfumigated cotton as found by them. 



STOCK OF COTTON. 



In the tests conducted by the Department of Agriculture the first 

 lot consisted of two 50-pound samples, one taken from a fumigated 

 bale and one from a nonfumigated bale. Both bales were of Sakel- 

 laridis Egyptian cotton 1^ inch in length of staple. The fumigated 

 bale was fumigated with hydrocyanic-acid gas on at least five dif- 

 ferent occasions in a vacuum of 27 inches. The amount of sodium 

 cyanide emploj^ed varied from 3 to 10 ounces per 100 cubic feet 

 of chamber space with exposures ranging from thirtj" minutes to one 

 hour. The volume of gas which penetrated this bale was fully ten 

 times as much as that ordinarily used in accordance with the regu- 

 lations prescribed by the Federal Horticultural Board. All other 

 fumigated cotton referred to in this publication was exposed to 

 hydrocyanic-acid gas in the presence of a 20-inch vacuum with 3 

 ounces of sodium c^'anide per 100 cubic feet of chamber space with 

 an exposure of one-half hour. The second lot consisted of 50-pound 

 samples from each of six bales of Sakellaridis Egyptian cotton of 

 1| inches in length of staple. 



Three of the bales were fumigated and three bales were non- 

 fumigated. In the selection of the fumigated and nonfumigated 

 cotton a careful comparison was made of grade and staple in order 

 to secure equal values. 



