FUMIGATION WITH BISULFIDE OF CARBON FOR THE 
COMPLETE AND RAPID DESTRUCTION OF THE INSECTS 
WHICH ATTACK HERBARIUM SPECIMENS, FURS, 
WOOLENS, ETC. 
By H. i>u Buysson, Brout, Vernet, France. 
Insect Life , I ol. 1 1 . , No. 2 , Pages 159, 160, 161. 
Tlie fumigating chest for use with Bisulfide of Carbon has been 
employed lor many years in the preservation of unpoisoned herbaria, 
which would infallibly be devoured without this annual or biennial 
precaution. These fumigations may render great service in the 
preservation of other objects more useful than the specimens of a 
herbarium. I shall describe, therefore, the first method used, and 
every oue will know how to apply it to his own needs. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE FUMIGATING CHEST. 
It is in principle a.rectangular box of light wood, lined with 
thin zinc, which is carefully soldered at all joints. Around the edge 
of the b 'X, inside, runs a little gutter of zinc, carefully soldered. 
This gutter is filled with water and serves to make a water seal by 
means of the flange of the lid, which is also covered with zinc ami 
carries all around a strip of the metal bent at right angles, and long 
enough to plunge into the water in the gutter. In this way the box 
is hermetically sealed and the vapors of the Bisulfide cannot possibly 
escape from it. 
USE IN THE PRESERVATION OF HERBARIA. 
Botanists now generally poison their specimens, and the fumi- 
gating box is seldom used. Nevertheless it has served me well and 
I still resort to it from time to time, to preserve such plants as I have 
not time to submit to the actiou of arsenicin alcohol or to bichloruie 
of mercurv. 
The process in question is based upon the great volatility of Bi- 
sulfide of carbon at ordinary pressure and moderate temperature. 
The penetration of its vapor is so considerable that we have only to 
pile up in the chest the mounting sheets of the herbarium, one 
above the other, in order to fumigate them. They are penetrated 10 
the very center and eggs, larva?, and perfect insects, Anobium or 
Attage mis, are killed. Space should be left and right of the pile for 
the vessels containing the Bisulfide. T^hose which I use are of zinc 
and measure 10cm. long, 6cm. wide, and 9cm. deep. There is no 
risk in prolonging the fumigation ; on the contrary there is but the 
greater certainty of its being efficacious. Five or six days will be 
time enough. No limit need be set to the quantity of Bisulfide 
used ; what is not evaporated will serve for a new charge. 
