- 5 - 
roots of both derris and cube vary in t-^.eir content of rotenone and total 
extract (32, 33, 63, 64). Hence, in i:.pimpliT.g. a whole-root shipment care 
aust bs taicen not only to draw froc different parts of the bale or case, 
but also to obtain a sample havin?; approximately tne same proportion of 
fine and coarse roots as does the whole s'lipmsnt. This proce^vre v/as 
recorajnended by Chevalier and Chevalier (20) arid by Kriikoff and £:r;ii,h (60) . 
The method cited above as used by one Ajnerican importer is an attempt to 
accomplish this. 
The proper saxplihg of powdered root is no less important, although 
less difficult. Cshn and Beam (2.^).and other workers have pointed out 
that marked .se^sgat ion of fine and coarse particles occurs on standing. 
In addition to Levallois (82) and others, Koolhaas and Meijer-*- have 
shown large differences in the rotenone and total-extract content of fine 
and coarse powder from a single sample. They found in a sample prepared 
by them that the material passing an 80-mesh sieve analyzed 9.8 percent 
of rotenone and 19.6 percent of total ether extract, while the coarse 
material, which did not pass the sieve, had 1.3 percent of rotenone and 
4.0 percent of ether extract. This variation indicates the importance of 
ccrrect sampling of powdered root, particular l,y material that has been 
subjected to shipment.-, 
IvrOISTUES 
In this section are discussed only procedures for the determination 
of moisture. Methods of dn^ing the sample before extraction, v/hich are not 
actual moistiire determinations, ar<3 discussed in connection with the various 
rotenone and total-extract methods. 
Tattersfield and Pvoach (122) in 1923, in determining moisture in 
samples of Derris ellipti ca, dried the materials to constant weight at the 
temperature of boiling dichloroethylene (55°-58° C.) in a partial vacuum 
over phosphorus pentoxide. Elevated temperatvj-e was avoided, as tne powdered 
root was said to decompose on prolonged heating. 
A similar method was used by Georgi and Cutler (32) in 1929 in 
analyzing derris roots. 
Spfon ( lis ) in 1931 determined moisture in derris by heating 5 grams 
of the gr«>und root at 100^-102° C. 
G-e©rgi and Teik (34 ) stated in 1933 that moisture determinations 
might be made either by drying the finely ground material to constant weight 
in a steam oven at 100° C. or by distilling with xylene. In the former 
method a 5-gm. sample v;as used, while in the distillation method 40 to 50 
gm. was employed. The distillation method was preferred, as it was said to 
eliminate oxidation during drying. 
Report of the analysis of a sample of derris root by various laboratories. 
19 pp., typewritten. Jan. 19, 1937. 
