Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-04-24
POISON
INDUSTRY At SHOALS
PLANNED BY HOOKER

WASHINGTON, April 22.-The
possibility of manufacturing at Mus
rIe Shoals two chemicals described
as specific destroyers of the peach
borer and the soll weevil in conjunc-
ton with the production OF concen-
trated fertilizer was held out to the
senate agriculture committee today
during further consideration Of the
Hooker-W hite-Atterbury bid for the
government properties.
A H. Hooker, who is connected
with the group, said he knew of no
reason why calcium arsenate, or
arsenate Of lime, which is used in
combating the boil weevil, and par
adichlor, made from clorine and
bleaching soda, and acting in the
manner OF poison gas against the
peach borer, could not be produced
in adequate quantities at Muscle
! Shoals.
| Predicting that the demand for
arsenate of lime would soon reach
| $50, 900 tons annually, Mr.. Hooker
| asserted that the supply at present
! is only about $4,000 tons a year. 1t
! could be produced, he testified, as
| a by-product in the manufacture of
ammonia for use in the fertilizer.
Experiments Are Made
Research is being conducted, he
added. in an effort to develop
| specific similar to paradichlor to
exterminate wheat rust and tobacco
wildfire. Flour manufacturers OF
the northwest, he said, are spend
ing more than $250,000 a year on
i this investigation.
The value of paradichlor as a
specific against the peach borer he
related was set forth first in a
pamphlet by the agriculture depart
ment which brought about de
sultory and rather minor use OF
this product followed in general with
good results" The pamphlet also
served, he said to indicate an out
let for a considerable amount OF
paradichlor benzol accumulated dur
ing the war as a bY-product or
monochlor benZOl manufactured for
the French government to combine
with picric acid in the making of an
important explosive.
Active Campaign Made
Eve supplemented the govern
ment bulletins" he continued, with
an active educational campaign
among the peach growers of the
south, of New Jersey, Georgia, New
York and other fruit-growing states.
1.-The result has been that not only
has all of the byproduct paradlch-
lor been used, but large quantities
have been manufactured direct and
have done a tremendous amount OF
good to the peach-growers of the
country in destroying this pest ana
saving their crops.
This same situation is exempt
fled again in the use of chlorine as
an economical method of, oXyGlz1ng
and producing calcium arSenate or
arsenate of lime for the cotton grow
ers of the south with which to com
bat the boil weevil, and thereby
utilizing the by-prOduct hydrogen IN
| the fiXation of nitrogen in the man
! ufacture of ammonia, which is one
of the ingredients of the concentrate
! ed fertilizer we propose to produce
! and distribute at Muscle ShoalS'
Scores Fertilizer Industry
! Senator McNary. Republican, Ore
/ IL, a
! ticipated saving in transportation
on fertilizer would apply to the
northwest, and the witness replied
that in his opinion cheaper rail
rates would be limited to territory
east of the Rocky mountains put
that water transportation through
| the Panama canal probably would
aid the northwest. He said he be-
lieved Muscle Shoals would furnish
a nucleus for a similar operation at
some water power site in the west.
THE fertilizer industry In nc
United States is rotten from TOP 10
bottom" Hooker declared, adding
that present commercial tertlLl|el
contained many useless materials.
! At Muscle Shoals, however. he SAID,
fertilizer could be produced In con.
centrated form and the farmer CouId
mix his own fertilizer on the farm.
This would effect a great saving III
transportation, he added.
Senator McNary asked II the
Hooker bidders could do anything at
Muscle Shoals which the government
could not do, and the witness re
piled the Hooker corporation coulo
produce ammonia better than the
government.
Hooker suggested Henry Ford $
offer said nothing about fertilizer
content, but the Alabama Power
company had mentioned making one
eighth Of the first unit the Hook
bidders planned.
But this is only a sop, in my
opinion, compared with my process,
! Hooker asserted.
senator hen&Iick, Democrat, "yo-
ming, said he thought the Hoo6ec
plan for manufacturing at Muscle
| Shoals was ideal" and would apruff
Doth the firm and the government
he did nor see why the power
| ueStion was not variable and cOulu
easily be separated between the gov
eminent and the corporation.
Hooker said the questions OF pow
er and the manufacture of fertilizer
were 50 interviewer they could not
oe senaratcd easily.
Investigation of Henry Ford 5
Muscle Shoals proposals by the SEN
ate agricultural committee await 5
the arrival of w. +. Mayo. Ford 5
chief engineer. who is eNpteCd to ap.
pear soame time this week. He will
be questioned principally about the
amount Of return the government
would receive from the Ford offer
and provisions for fertilizer prOduc-
ton and power distribution.
TT