Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1920-12-31

,,hlish in this department any item
rom any source. pertaining to farm
work. farm development and farm
interest. All that is required is ac-
curacy in all statements made. 1t
r. our desire to make this depart
rent Of real interest)
Protecting Farmers
Against Fake Insecticides.
ry DR.. ]. X. Haywood, Chairman,
lnsecticide and Fungicde Board,
United States Department of Ag-
riculture.
In the enforcement of tn insec-
de act, officials of the United
S,atcs Department of Agriculture
have had some wonderful and weird
remedies" brought to their attention.
A preparation sold as remedy for
all kinds of diseases of trees was
found to consist Of approximately 80
per cent table salt and the remainder
consisted of equally powerful" in
gradients. This great remedy" was
sold by an "intinerant tree special
ist," who guaranteed to exterminate"
tree disease and naively informed his
credulous victims that tree diseases
were caused by uneven temperature
and overproduction of wood which
causes the sap to become CONCEALED in
the "arteries" of the trees. He COM
pared the treatment of tree disease to
the treatment of human disease and
consigned to the scrap heap all the
conclusions and results of scientific
Investigators, insisting that he was
the discoverer of the only true method
of treatment. And this wonderful
remedy may be bought, ladies and
gentlemen, for the modest and insight
ficant sum of only So per can, cash
money.
Another remarkable" preparation
was offered to the poultryman for the
guaranteed determination of vermin in
his flocks by the simple expedient Of
adding few drops to the drinking
water, which became effective through
the pores of the chicken and thus
killed the lice on it's back. This was
an interesting theory to the scientists
of the department, since chickens have
no pores except two small ones at
the base of the tail. This seeming
obstacle to the practical working of
the remedy meant nothing at all in
the young life of it's discoverer, who
without hesitation denounced the de-
partment and impaticntly pointed out
the feather holes to prove his asser-
ton that chickens did in fact have
pores.
The treatment of diseased trees by
the injection or innoculation method
also seems to be favorite of some
stree specialists" Cyanide was used
by one of these gentlemen in his
treatment" and many promising or
chards were irreparably injured until
the department got on his trail.
A combination of salt bricks with a
little sulphur has been sold for de-
stroying lice and ticks on cattle. "Sim-
ply put the brick in the pasture and
let the cattle lick it and presto!
away 60 the lice and ticks" so said
the manufacturer, but the insecticide
board of the department failed to
agree with him and he is now "spec-
ializing" in some other treatment
which is certain to remove shekels
from the purses of his victims.
Apparently it is only necessary to
devise some treatment which is SIM
pie and easy to administer and the
silver-tongued takers are able to put
it across. The department advises all
purchasers to write for information
regarding the demonstrated and estab-
lished treatments which may require
more time and labor, but which are
known to be safe and the best avail
able treatments. Carefully read the
labels and see if the seller has dared
to put in print the verbal promises
he makes. If so, the department will
get him if he don't watch out and if
he has made false and exorbita,lt
claims.
The disinfectant which makes a
strong odor, but which does not kill
any germs; the insecticide or fungi
eide which is not effective against in
sects or diseases, or which positively
Injuries the plants or crops; all of
these things are receiving the atten-
tion of your Uncle Samuel who is en-
deavoring to prevent the billion and
half dollars of annual loses to crops
and animals through the ravages OF