47 
Bisulphide of Carbon .—The simplest, most effective, and least 
expensive remedy for all mill pests is bisulphide of carbon, a 
very inflammable, volatile, foul-smelling liquid, as clear as water. 
Its vapor is heavier than air, and will penetrate every crack and 
crevice in a mill or warehouse when used in sufficient quantities. 
It can be thrown directly upon grain without injuring its edible 
qualities, and will not affect its vitality in the least. In mills it 
can be used about the machinery, spouts, and elevators with per¬ 
fect assurance that the manufactured products will not be dam¬ 
aged. It is a powerful insecticide, the atmosphere produced by its 
vapors being sure death to insects, as well as to rats and mice. I 
know of no instance, however, where the slightest deleterious effect 
has been realized by persons applying it in mills, although they 
unavoidably inhale some of the fumes. 
The amount of liquid to be used depends (1) on the size of 
the building, (‘2) on its tightness, and (3) on the magnitude of 
the attack. Where the building is reasonably tight and but slightly 
infested, one pound of bisulphide is sufficient for every thousand 
cubic feet of air space. If it is somewhat open or badly infested 
the amount should be doubled. When applied to bins containing 
stored grain, one pound of the liquid to every hundred bushels 
of grain is commonly used; but if the insects are very abundant 
the amount of bisulphide should bs doubled. 
A number of methods for the application of bisulphide of car¬ 
bon have been suggested and tested, but the most effective man¬ 
ner of applying it in mills consists in simply pouring the liquid 
into shallow dishes, such as soup plates, or pans, and distributing 
them about the building. Bits of cottou-waste saturated with the 
liquid should also be thrust into spouts, elevator legs, machines, 
and other places where the pests usually congregate in great num¬ 
bers. Spraying or throwing the liquid broadcast into badly in¬ 
fested corners, on machines, and other pieces of apparatus where 
the pests are particularly abundant, has been attended with very 
good results. 
Saturday afternoon is the best time for fumigating a mill. After 
sweeping it from top to bottom, using a “steam sweeper” where it 
is practicable, all fires about the premises should be extinguished 
and the mill closed as tightly as possible. The dishes and cotton- 
waste should be previously distributed, so that there will be no 
unnecessary delay in the application of the foul-smelling fluid. 
The distribution of these vessels must of course depend, as 
alieady stated, upon the condition of the mill and the severity of 
the attack. It is best to begin with the lowest story and work 
up, as the operators can then keep above the settling gas. When 
the bisulphide has been applied throughout the mill it should be 
locked and kept closed until the following Monday morning. All 
windows and doors should then be thrown wide open and the 
building allowed to air an hour before any fire is started. Where 
the building is large and a great quantity of bisulphide has been 
used, it would be wise to observe the extra precaution of station¬ 
ing a watchman without to prevent any one from entering the 
building during fumigation. 
