Fungicidal compositions

Cellulosic material is protected against fungal infection by treating it with an a :a 1-dichloromaleimide substituted on the nitrogen atom by the group -(CH2)n-R where R is a substituted or unsubstituted monocyclic carboxylic group and n is O or 1. R may be a cyclohexyl radical e.g. to give N-cyclohexyl dichloromaleimide or a phenyl radical e.g. to give N-(4-methyl phenyl) dichloromaleimide. The material may be timber or reconstituted timber, textile material or wood pulp. The active ingredient may be associated with a carrier in which it is not soluble to any appreciable extent e.g. as an aqueous dispersion, made by dispersing an organic solvent solution in water or by grinding it together with water and surface active agent in a ball mill, or admixed with an inert solid diluent. Examples show the use of the material or I-IV, timber, V cotton cloth, VI paper pulp suspensions, VII-VIII plant foliage. Specification 818,192 is referred to.