INSECTICIDES AND EQUIPMENT FOR CONTROLLING INSECTS 3] 
present about 21% to 3 times as much of other extractives. Rotenone, 
in addition to being toxic to many insects, is also poisonous to fish but 
is not harmful to warm-blooded animals when eaten in small amounts. 
Therefore, the use of ground roots is permissible on leafy vegetables 
which are consumed by man or domestic animals. 
The roots are usually ground sufficiently fine so that most of the 
powder will pass through a number 200 screen. The powder is diluted 
to give a very small amount of rotenone in the mixture to be applied. 
It may be stirred into water and applied as a spray or mixed with 
some fine dust for treating infested plants. For sprays the final 
rotenone content may range from as low as 0.005 to 0.025 percent or 
higher, and for dusts from 0.5 to 1.0 percent or higher. 
Liquid extracts containing the active ingredients are also available, 
but certain of these may lose some of their effectiveness when mixed 
with water. The derris and cube insecticides are sold under various 
trade names; but since the strength of the active ingredients may vary 
in the different brands, they should be used as directed by the 
manufacturer. 
The more important uses, on vegetables, flowers, and fruits, of rote- 
none root powder are to control the Mexican bean beetle, cabbage 
caterpillars, cucumber beetles, the pea aphid, the pea weevil, the 
asparagus beetle, flea beetles, the cherry fruitfly, the imported currant 
worm, rose slugs, the Japanese beetle, spittle bugs on strawberries, 
raspberry fruitworms, and the European corn borer. 
Dusts and sprays are mixed on the basis of rotenone content. A 
dust usually should contain at least 0.5 percent. To mix a 0.5-percent 
dust, use 1214 pounds of the rotenone root powder containing 4 percent 
of rotenone and 8714 pounds of talc, sulfur, or other diluent. If the 
root powder contains 5 percent of rotenone, use 10 pounds of it and 
90 pounds of the diluent. For smaller quantities, weigh by ounces 
instead of pounds. 
To prepare a spray for bean beetle control, use 314 pounds of 
rotenone root which contains 4 percent of rotenone, or 214 pounds of 
rotenone root which contains 5 percent of rotenone, to 100 gallons of 
water. For smaller quantities use 1 ounce of 4-percent powder to 
2 gallons or 1 ounce of 5-percent powder to 214 gallons. This mix- 
ture will contain approximately 0.015 percent of rotenone. 
A spray mixture consisting of derris powder, pyrethrum extract, 
and sulfonated castor oil with water has been found effective against 
red spiders, thrips (except the gladiolus thrips) on certain flowering 
plants, the cyclamen mite on chrysanthemums, aphids, cucumber 
beetles, tarnished plant bugs, certain species of leaf rollers, and leaf 
tiers. The spray is made up according to the following formula: 
Rotenone-containing root powder For small For large 
(containing 4 percent of quantities quantities 
POCEMOMC)) pee ee cee a Re con 1 tablesponful. 1 pound. 
Pyrethrum extract (alcoholic ex- 
tract, containing 2 percent of 
DY LEENTING) soos = eT 4 teaspoonfuls. 2 quarts. 
Sulfonated castor oil______________ 2 teaSpoonfuls. 1 quart. 
AVES SS toys ae pega SU alpen thas SR 1 gallon. 100 gallons. 
