36 MISC. PUB. 526, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 
to cause injury to the trees, tar-oil sprays have been displaced to some 
extent by oil solutions of the dinitro organic compounds (see p. 12). 
TARTAR EMETIC 
Tartar emetic is known chemically as potassium antimony] tartrate 
(K(SbO)C,H,0..42H,O). It is manufactured by combining anti- 
mony oxide with tartaric acid, the latter being obtained from a by- 
product of the wine industry. As marketed for insecticidal purposes 
(technical grade) it is a white powder which is soluble in water. 
One of the insecticidal uses of this material is in ant poisons. Its 
most extensive use is in a spray for the control of the citrus thrips, 
the gladiolus thrips, and common red spiders. It has also been used 
against the onion thrips. 
A spray solution for control of the gladiolus thrips on gladiolus, 
the flower thrips on roses, the orchid thrips on orchids, the chrysan- 
themum thrips, the banded greenhouse thrips, and the onion thrips on’ 
various ornamentals is made up as follows: 
For small For large 
quantities quantities 
EB area re rende tlc a eens 2 teaspoonfuls. 2 pounds. 
Brown (or white) sugar____ 3 tablespoonfuls. 4 pounds. 
Wiatertein FP ecpet & ss 1 gallon. 100 gallons. 
Dissolve each in a small quantity of water, then dilute to the quantity 
desired. Dissolving the tartar emetic may be hastened by using hot 
water. After this spray solution has been made up, no agitation is 
required to maintain a uniform spray. 
Apply this spray as a fine mist to infested foliage of gladiolus or 
other plants or to flowers of roses or other plants when infested. The 
spray should cover the plant parts as tiny droplets. Do not apply so 
_ much spray that these droplets will unite and run off. Applications 
are made weekly, and if rain falls within 24 hours after the spray has 
been applied the treatment is repeated. 
Caution.—Tartar emetic is very poisonous and must be stored 
away from food products in plainly marked containers. To date 
a warning color, such as is used in arsenicals and some fluorides, 
has not been added to tartar emetic. 
THIOCYANATES (ORGANIC) 
At least three organic thiocyanates, synthetic products made in the 
United States, are used as plant sprays. They are sold in liquid form; 
one is chemically beta-beta’-butoxythiocyanodiethyl ether, another is 
lauryl thiocyanate, a third is a mixture of fenchyl and bornyl thiocy- 
anoacetates. They are chiefly substitutes for pyrethrum sprays and 
other contact insecticides for use against red spiders on certain plants, 
especially under glass, and also against the cylamen mite, mealybugs, 
aphids, scale insects, and thrips. Since thiocyanate sprays injure some 
plants, they should be used only as recommended by the maker. 
Caution.—These compounds are generally considered harmless 
to man, although some of them are capable of causing dermatitis 
to humans. Since the hazards are not fully understood, care 
should be exercised in handling these materials. 
