12 
BULLETIN 366, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
From Table VIII it will be seen that the gain in tensile strength 
due to mercerization is a trifle greater for the nonfumigated than for 
the fumigated cotton. 
The tests for the degree of mercerization were made by dyeing 
samples of the fumigated and nonfumigated mercerized yarns* in 1 
per cent benzo purpurin 1 B, 10 per cent salt. 1 per cent soluble oil, 
30 minutes at 160°. volume of bath equal to 100 times the weight of 
goods treated. The same weight samples of mercerized Egyptian 
yarn were dyed in the same bath after dyeing the fumigated and 
nonfumigated samples. These exhaust skeins furnished a means of 
measuring the degree of mercerization. for the better mercerized 
samples absorb more dye-stuff and consequently leave less in the dye 
bath. In order to ascertain more accurately the degree of merceriza- 
tion. a sheet of samples was prepared by dyeing mercerized Egyptian 
cotton with the percentages of dyestuffs shown in Table IX. Salt 
and soluble oil was used as in method given above, benzo purpurin 
1 B being used as the dyestuff. 
Table IX.— A set of color standard.?. 
1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
; 
8 
9 
5 
20 
2 
4.5 
20 
2 
4 
20 
2 
3.5 
20 
2 
3 
20 
2 
2.5 
20 
2 
2 
10 
1 
1.5 
10 
1 
1 
10 
1 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
IS 
0.9 
10 
1 
0.8 
10 
1 
0.7 
10 
1 
0.6 
10 
1 
0.5 
10 
1 
0.4 
10 
1 
0.3 
10 
1 
0.2 
10 
1 
0.1 
10 
1 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
Dye, per cent 
Salt, per cent 
Soluble oil, per cent 
0.09 
10 
1 
0.08 
10 
1 
0.07 
10 
1 
0.06 
10 
1 
0.05 
10 
1 
0.04 
10 
1 
0.03 
10 
1 
0.02 
10 
1 
0.01 
10 
1 
The samples of colored yarns obtained by dyeing in the exhaust 
bath were matched against the standards, and it was found that 
cotton Xo. 2a (nonfumigated lj-inch Egyptian cotton) dyed a lighter 
shade, indicating a greater degree of mercerization than cotton Xo. 2 
(fumigated lj-inch Egyptian cotton) . But results from lots 1 and la 
fumigated and nonfumigated, respectively, were practically identical. 
CONCLUSION. 
The results of these tests indicate that the fumigation of cotton 
with hydrocyanic-acid gas does not affect, to any material extent, 
the percentages of waste, spinning qualities, tensile strength, bleach- 
ing, dyeing, or mercerizing properties of the cotton. 
WASHINGTON '. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE \ 1916 
