14 MAINE AGRICULTURAI, EXPERIMENT STATION, I913. 



The definition of insecticide is equally broad and includes 

 "Paris green, lead arsenate and any substance or mixture of 

 substances intended to be used for preventing, destroying, re- 

 pelling or mitigating any insect which may infest vegetation, 

 man, or other animals, or houses, or be present in any environ- 

 ment whatsoever." 



Comparatively few analyses were made in 1912, but now that 

 the law has been upon the statute books long enough so that 

 people should be familiar with its requirements, more samples 

 will be taken in 19 13 and the requirements of the law will be 

 more strictly enforced. With this, as with the other laws of 

 which the Director of the Maine Agricultural Experiment Sta- 

 tion is the executive, the attempt has been made to administer 

 it in ain educational way. Many abuses were found under the 

 law and its need has been sufficiently demonstrated during the 

 past year. No prosecutions have yet been made, but unless 

 there is marked improvement it is feared that some may have 

 to be brought in 191 3. 



Arsenica^ Poisons. 



It is necessary that every insecticide containing arsenic carry 

 in addition to the weight, a chemical analysis stating the mini- 

 mum percentage of total arsenic and the maximum percentage 

 of water soluble arsenic which it contains. Standards are fixed 

 for Paris green following the Federal law so that Paris green is 

 adulterated if it does not contain at least 50 per cent of arseni- 

 ous oxide (AS2O3) or if it contains arsenic in water soluble 

 form that is equivalent to more than 3.5 per cent of arsenious 

 oxide (AS2O3) ; and in the case of lead arsenate it is adulterated 

 if it contains more than 50 per cent of water, if it contains total 

 arsenic equivalent to less than 12.5 per cent of arsenic oxide 

 (AS2O5) and if it contains arsenic in water soluble form equiva- 

 lent to more than .75 per cent oi arsenic oxide (AS2O5). It is 

 unfortunate that in the Federal Act the arsenic is stated in two 

 ways : one in the form of arsenious and the other as arsenic 

 oxide, because it makes it difficult to compare the strength of 

 arsenate of lead, for instance, with Paris green from the analy- 

 sis stated thereon. Inasmuch as the Federal Act requires the 

 statement in the terms of arsenious oxide and arsenic oxide it 



