

FUMIGATION OF FRUIT TO DESTROY JAPANESE BEETLE 23 



gating house. By the end of the 2-hour exposure, however, the tem- 

 perature had risen to 71°. In all tests a complete kill was obtained. 



On June 30, 1932, approximately 2,000 beetles, confined in cages, 

 were taken from Moorestown, N. J., to Philadelphia. One thousand 

 were distributed throughout a refrigerator car immediately after 

 it had been loaded with bananas. The remaining beetles were al- 

 lowed to remain outside the car during the period of treatment. A 

 total of 6 ounces of liquid hydrocyanic acid was applied to the car 

 (capacity 2,600 cubic feet), 3 ounces through the ice compartment 

 at each end of the car. The covers of these compartments were then 

 closed for 2 hours, after which the apparatus (discussed below) and 

 the beetles were removed. The car was then iced, the covers were 

 fastened open, and the tops of the ice compartments were screened 

 to prevent infestation. 



This car was shipped within a few hours, and 5 days later rep- 

 resentatives of the Bureau of Entomology and of the fruit company 

 examined the fruit in the warehouse of a Cleveland, Ohio, dealer, 

 to whom the fruit had been consigned. No injury attributable to 

 the treatment was detected. 



The beetles that had been removed from the car at the end of 

 the fumigating period, along with those which had been left un- 

 treated, were taken to Moorestown, where they were kept under 

 observation for 48 hours. At the end of this period the untreated 

 beetles showed a survival of 94 percent, while none of the treated 

 beetles survived. As a result of these tests with the adult beetle, 

 recommendations were made to the quarantine authorities for the 

 use of 6 ounces of hydrocyanic acid per refrigerator car for 2 hours, 

 the temperature inside the car to be not less than 75° F. at the 

 time of treatment. These recommendations were in turn issued 

 by the quarantine authorities as an alternative treatment. 



METHOD OF APPLICATION OF LIQUID HYDROCYANIC ACID TO 

 REFRIGERATOR CARS 



In one test the liquid was applied through the side doors of the 

 car. The doors were closed almost completely, just enough space 

 being left to permit inserting a long tube by means of which the 

 chemical was sprayed into the car. The storage cylinder was placed 

 outside the car on a set of scales. After the combined weight of 

 the cylinder and liquid was read, hydrocyanic acid was pumped 

 into the car until the reading on the scales indicated that the re- 

 quired quantity had been used. During the process the odor of 

 the chemical was very pronounced outside the car. 



The method which seemed the most practical consisted of apply- 

 ing the liquid from the top of the car, through the openings of the 

 ice compartments. On the ice rack in each compartment a small 

 cup, capable of holding 3 ounces of hydrocyanic acid, was placed 

 in a shallow pan. A long cord was tied to the handle of the cup. 

 By means of a long delivery tube the cup was filled from a small 

 portable drum, and the liquid emptied into the pan by pulling 

 the cord. The compartment covers were then closed for 2 hours, 

 after which they were opened and the operator removed the pans 

 and cups. 



