92 
HYDROCYANIC-ACID GAS FUMIGATION IN CALIFORNIA. 
of commercial acid forwarded by Mr. TVoglum had the following 
composition : 
No. 6530: Specific gravity, 1.827 (65.4° Baume), 91.21 per cent 
H 2 S0 4 . 
It contained merely a trace of ferrous sulphate, and no chlorids 
or nitrates were present. This is a fairly representative sample of 
commercial acid. A trace of nitric acid is sometimes present in 
commercial sulphuric, but the amount would probably never be 
large enough to be of any consequence when used for fumigation 
purposes. 
CYANID SAMPLES. 
Certain cyanid samples received from Mr. Woglum have been 
analyzed for cyanogen and chlorin. Practically all commercial 
cyanids contain small amounts of cyanates, carbonates, and traces 
of other compounds, but none of them has been determined quan- 
titatively in these samples, as their presence in small amounts does 
not interfere with the use of these substances for fumigation. 
Table of analyses. 
Serial 
No. 
Material. 
Total Calculated Calculated 
HCN. to NaCN. to KCN. 
Chlorin, 
calculated 
to NaCl. 
6523 
6,52-1 
6525 
6526 
6527 
6528 
6529 
Potassium cyanid "98-99 per cent pure". 
Sodium cyanid "98-99 per cent pure". . . 
Sodium cyanid " 130 per cent pure" 
Sodium cyanid ' 
Potassium cyanid "98-99 per cent pure' 
Potassium cyanid "98-99 per cent pure' 
"Sodium cyanid" 2 
Per cent. 
40.42 
41.78 
51.22 
41.45 
39.96 
39.28 
41.02 
Per cent. 
75.78 
92.92 
75.18 
Per cent. 
97.41 
100.68 
123.44 
99.88 
96.30 
94.67 
98.85 
Per cent. 
0.40 
14.20 
.57 
5.82 
.60 
.77 
6.15 
1 A mixture of potassium and sodium cyanids (potassium equivalent to 21.03 per cent KCN). 
2 A mixture of potassium and sodium cyanids (potassium equivalent to 57.92 per cent KCN). 
The purity of sodium cyanid is frequently stated in terms of potas- 
sium cyanid, 100 parts of sodium cyanid being equivalent to 132.85 
parts of potassium cyanid; that is, 100 parts of sodium cyanid will 
yield, theoretically, as much hydrocyanic-acid gas as 132.85 parts of 
potassium cyanid. 
All of these results are calculated to the potassium cyanid equiva- 
lent for comparison. Samples Nos. 6527 and 6528 had been exposed 
to the air for three months or longer before they were received and 
were undergoing slow decomposition, as shown by the odor of ammo- 
ma which they possessed. Decomposition would have been much 
more rapid than here shown if the samples had been exposed to moist 
air. Cyanids should always be kept dry and out of contact with the 
air to prevent their decomposition. From the table of analyses 
it will be seen that samples Nos. 6524, 6526, and 6529 contain con- 
