The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1924-03-27

DEPARTMENT FOR THE ACRICULTURISTS

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Sodatol Sales Heavy; Order Now.
Farmers of the cutover districts of
Minnesota are not downhearted.
This is apparent from the fact that
they are buying more explosive for
land clearing purposes than ever be-
fore. Since January 1, 1924, they
have placed orders with the division
OF agricultural engineering at Uni
versity Farm, St. Paul, for 662, 700
pounds of sodatol, war material which
Uncle Sam had left over after his
brush with Germany.
Another big land clearing year,
probably the biggest Minnesota has
known, is forecast. University men
predict total sales of a million and a
quarter pounds of sodatol this spring
and fully as much more for the fall
campaign.
Sodatol is cheap in comparison
with other explosives. Its cost laid
down at the average point in the
state is only about three cents a
stick. A stick of sodatol is as effec-
tive in clearing land as is az stick of
40 per cent dynamite. 1t can be
bought for half the price of dynamite.
No wonder the farmer with stump
land is buying it, realizing as he must
that this is one chance in a lifetime
to obtain land clearing material at
bedrock prices.
The average cutover land farmer
also realizes that he must have more
cleared acres before his farm is on
a self supporting basis. This is an
&c
datol at this time.
either st. Paul, Benidji or Virginia
costs $685. hundredweight. If Oh
ders are polled in carload lots from
Barksdale, Wis, the cost is only
$5.07 a hundred pounds. All or
ders should be forwarded to the Di-
vision of Agricultural Engineering,
University Farm, St. Paul. Get them
in early and avoid the inevitable
rush.
Jack Pine Under Fire of Two In
sect Species-The jack pine of north
ern Minnesota and Wisconsin is un-
der attack by ito species of the pine
sawfy, according to S. A. Graham,
forest entomologist of the University
plicates situation which was already
serious enough. Studies of pine saw
fly outbreaks in foreign lands have
usually shown that where destruction
of the pine was complete, two or more
species of insects were involved in
the tragedy.
Settlers in the timber country can
perform real service for the state
and also help themselves by reporting
any injury to jack pine stands to DR..
Graham at University Farm, st. Paul
AS collaboration for the University of
Minnesota he has been plased in
charge of forest insect work in the
lake states-Minnesota, Wisconsin
and Michigan-by the government
bureau of entomology.
"We will need all the help we can
get from the people of the three
states"
New Fumigant Devised; ''U" Asks
for Patent-Authoriti of the UNI
versity of Minnesota have applied for
letters patent for mixture of chlor-
opicrin and carbon tetrachlorite as
a fumigant for destroying insects
which infest the stored grain of the
farmer and elevator man and food
products manufactured by the mill
man, an handled by the merchant.
The combination fumigant was de-
vised by DR.. R. N. Chapman of the
division of entomology and econmi-
cal zoology, University of Minnesota,
and has given highly satisfactory re-
suits under a variety of rigid tests.
Expense money for carrying on the
,ork required of DIR. Chapman and
assistants was furnished by the
utual Fire Prevention Bureau which
i've sum approximating $1,000.
In moving for a patent the univer-
ty has no money making plans for
itself in view. If the formula is pa
tentable, the university desires to
have a patent in its name so that no
individual or groups of individuals
can monopolize trade in or manipu-
late prices of the new fumigant.
DIR. Chapman estimates it's cost will
be between so and rs cents a pound.
While it is more expensive pound for
pound than carbon disulphide, which
has been discarded by the underwrit-
,ers because of its highly explosive
and infammable nature, it will go
much further and cost little if any
more, one pound of it being equival-
ent to eight or ten pounds of disul-
phide.
,SOf all liquid fumigants under
test, chloropicrin is the most pronis-
ing" says DIR. Chapman. at was
used in the war as a tear gas and it
is so extremely irritating that the
operator must use gas mask to keep
out of its way. 1t is much more
deadly to insects than carbon disul-
phide and has great powers of pene-
tration with no fire hazard, which is
a decided advantage in fumigating
grain and flour. BY combining it
with carbon tetrachloride, volatility
or evaporation is increased, and we
get a more useful fumigant, the best,
/ believe, that has been originated.
"What is wanted is a fumigant
which is heavier than air, poisonous
to insects, non-injurious to human
food or the germs of grains, and at
the same time capable of being dis
persed readily when the fumigation
is over. ALI these requirements. seem
to be met in this new combination"
Ra;Iwavs Aid Juniors to Attend