2 
BUREAU OF PLANT QUARANTINE 
[Jan.-Mar. 
in these instructions. Methods outlined herein are to be employed as a basis of 
quarantine certification under regulations 6 and 7 of Quarantine No. 48, Revised. 
Issuance of these instructions cancels the methods of treatment prescribed 
in P.Q.C.A.-224, P.Q.C.A.-239, P.Q.C.A.-265, P.Q.C. A.-307, P.Q.C.A.-317, 
P.Q.C.A.-322, P.Q.C.A.-333, and B.P.Q.-339. 
A. S. Hoyt, 
Acting Chief of Bureau. 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
Page 
1. Treatment of soil in the absence of plants... 2 
A Pottinsi soil """" 2 
1. Carbon disulphide 2 
2. Naphthalene 3 
3. Steam 3 
4. Lead arsenate 3 
B. Sand, soil, earth, peat, compost, and manure shipments 4 
1. Carload treatment requirements, June 15 to October 15, inclusive 4 
2. Carload treatment requirements, October 16 to June 14, inclusive 4 
C. Soil in and around plots, coldframes, hotbeds, etc 4 
1. Lead arsenate 4 
2. Carbon disulphide 5 
3. Carbon disulphide emulsion.. 5 
4. Naphthalene 6 
2. Treatment of soil about the roots of plants 6 
A. Removing infestation by shaking, or washing with water 6 
B. Treatment with hot water... 6 
C. Carbon disulphide dip.. 7 
D. Carbon disulphide emulsion, field treatment 7 
E. Lead arsenate, field treatments 10 
3. Miscellaneous treatments 10 
A. Fumigation of bananas in refrigerator cars with liquid hydrocyanic acid 10 
B. Fumigation of bananas in refrigerator cars with calcium cyanide 11 
C. Fumigation of berries with carbon disulphide _ 11 
D. Fumigation of berries with ethylene oxide 11 
1. TREATMENT OF SOIL IN THE ABSENCE OF PLANTS 
A. Potting soil 
Potting soil may be treated by the use of carbon disulphide, naphthalene, heat 
treatment, or lead arsenate. All of these treatments are effective and do not 
impair soil fertility when applied as recommended. 
A. 1. Fumigation of potting soil with carbon disulphide 
Material. — A technical, CP., or U.S. P. grade of carbon disulphide should be 
used to fumigate soil in which plants are to be grown. Caution: Carbon disul- 
phide is a dangerous chemical. The vapor is inflammable and explosive when 
mixed with air at concentrations ranging from 1 to 50 parts of carbon disulphide 
to 99 to 50 parts of air. At these concentrations any spark is liable to cause an 
explosion. At a temperature of 297° F. it may take fire spontaneously, and it 
may ignite spontaneously in the presence of certain metals, particularly copper, 
at considerably lower temperatures. It should be kept away from fire, and from 
hot objects such as electric light bulbs, heating coils, steam pipes, etc. Lighted 
cigars, cigarettes, or pipes should never be brought into the same room. These 
facts must be brought to the attention of a responsible person at the nursery 
before the fumigation is applied to the soil. 
Equipment. — The fumigation must be done in a tight box or bin, which may be 
made of metal, wood, concrete, brick, stone, or other material, providing the top, 
sides, and bottom are gas proof. It should be of a size adapted to the quantity 
of soil to be treated. 
Condition of soil. — Soil of any type may be fumigated with carbon disulphide, 
providing the soil is friable and is thrown loosely into the box. It should be dry 
or only moist. Wet soil must never be fumigated. 
Temperature. — The effectiveness of fumigation with carbon disulphide depends, 
to a large extent, upon the temperature of the soil. The higher the temperature 
the more readily the vapor diffuses through the soil, and the more easily the 
immature stages of the beetle are killed by its action. The temperature must be 
at least 45° F. when the treatment is applied and it must not fall below 40° 
during the course of the treatment; otherwise, it will be necessary to fumigate 
the soil again to insure destruction of the immature stages of the beetle. 
Dosage. — Carbon disulphide must be used at the rate of 350 cubic centimeters 
(1 pound) to 1 cubic yard of soil. 
