Show DEADLY DERRIS ROOT POISON IS BOTH BOT 11 expeditious AND SAFE safe for use as spray on fruits and vegetables Wre prepared pared by tho the wilted united states department of agriculture Aerl culture one of the poisons known to chemistry la Is also considered one of tha the safest for use as a 0 spray on oil fruit 4 and vegetables for tile the control of certain insects tills this poison is ro tenon the active principle of derris derras root its principal advantage for use as an insecticide sect icide is iq its chemical instability according to Jn japanese scientists about two days after rotenone lias has been upa plied to the plant or fruit it dishi disintegrates tc and ceases to be poisonous A japanese chemist isolated rotenone and gave it its na name me from tile japanese name naine for derris much of the worlds supply comes from the federated federa teil malay states at present it Is ri ra expensive drug the poisonous properties way may be preserved in the root or after extrac tion in on an oil solution chemists believe that the oil solution mixed with soap and water to make an emulsion should prove an effective spray the lead arsenate sprays now used in some orchard districts have forced the installation stal lation of 0 expensive machinery for washing the poison from the fruit before it may be marketed rotenone would not have this dis disadvantage in the united states department of agriculture rotenone Is now under investigation vesti gation by dr rj B D 1 la a forge oi of the lie bureau of chemistry and soils th the A active principle of derris Is described us Is ix i white crystalline material insoluble in water but soluble in ether a alcohol I 1 oils and other org organic atile solvents dr R C roark of the same bureau says too little Is known of tile the constitution of rotenone as yet to predict its synthesis although this may be possible poss ble |