4S AXNTAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 1953 
DMC Promising for Cyclamen "Mite Control on Some 
Greenhouse Plants 
DMC emulsion was the most effective material tested against the 
cyclamen mite on plants outdoors and under glass in New York where 
fumigation or hot- water treatments are impractical. On field-grown 
delphinium on Long Island. DMC caused no injury and gave _ 
control of a limited infestation and moderate control oi a heavy 
infestation of cyclamen mite. Laboratory tests with l'o materials 
showed DMC emulsion to be the most effective material against this 
mite on ivy. Plant tolerance to DMC was not entirely satisfactory. 
Kalanchoes were consistently injured and African violet- and ivy were 
sometimes injured. Injury to African violet- was reduced when a 
spreader was included. Soil or foliage applications of schradan 
and Systox for cyclamen mite control on gerbera in the greenhouse 
v\ ere not promising. 
Multipurpose Dust Mix for Roses Sought 
A comparison of 30 dusts was made in small field plots at Beltsville, 
Md., in an attempt to develop a multipurpose dnst mixture for roses 
The best growth resulted when a mixture of ferbam, sulfur, lindane. 
DDT, and 88R was applied. None of the mixtures tested controlled 
flower thrips, Japanese beetles, or mildew. They did give good control 
of black spot. 
Develop Soaking Treatments for Tulip Bulb Aphid 
As little as 1 ounce of 25-percent lindane per 100 gallons of water 
gave complete kill of all tulip bulb aphids contacted, and 1 ounce of 
15-percent parathion gave 100 percent dead and moribund aphids in 
limited trials of soaks on Long Island. Gladiolus conns grown to 
maturity after soaking in preparations of BHC, lindane, or parathion, 
stronger than required for control of tulip bulb aphid, showed no 
adverse effect on plant growth or flower, conn, or cormel production. 
Chlordane Soil Treatment Prevents Ant Reinfestation for 
Several \\ eekfi 
Further investigations in Maryland on the control of ants affecting 
ornamental plants and ornamental gardens corroborated results in 
preceding years that showed applications of chlordane sprays, made 
from wettable powder, to the surface of ant-infested soil, followed by 
a thorough drenching of the treated area with water, killed a high 
percentage of the ants and prevented reinfestation for a period of 
Several weeks. (Jse Of I ounces of 50-percent chlordane wettable 
der in 100 gallon- of water to each L,000 -quare feet of soil 
surface gave best results. Research on this problem has been 
discont inued. 
Several Treatment* Give Satisfactory Narcissus Bulb Fly Control 
Test! in Washington with preplanting soaks of narcissus bulbs in 
dilution- of chlordane, aldrin, or heptachlor demonstrated that these 
materials will give practically complete protection from attack by 
