Evening star., 1927-08-28
PLANE PROVES GREAT AID
In FARM WAR ON BLIGHT
Agriculture Greatly Helped by Air
Research and Dusting Process for
Controlling Pests.

4 leaf worm and the army worm. Ii
2 order to carry out these experiments
j arrangements were made in 1872:
with the Air Service Of the United
States Army whereby airplane!
were detailed for use by the United
states Bureau of Entomology. This
bureau began experimenting with d
view TO determining the practicable
ity of the use of airplanes in dis
tributinC insect poiSonS over crop
areas. Experiments were made on
plantations in the vicinity of Tai
lulah. La. These experiments DEM
onstrated and proved conclusively
the practical value of this method of
distributing insect poiSons over cot
ton fields in order effectively to de-
Stroy the boil weevil and the cotton
leaf worm
Additional experiments have been
carried on in 1924, 1925 and 1926.
Early in 1925 1000 acres of peach
trees in Georgia were busted by an
airplane with a compound of ar
senate of lead and hydrated lime,
and in the Fall of 1925. airplane
experiments We're extended to some
of the extensive pecan groves of
the South. In 1926 an entirely new
from an aiIplane some of the eX-
| tensive alfalfa fields in Utah, with
a view to eXterminatinG the alfalfa
| weevil
determination Is Great.
The entomologist in charge of the
experiments upon these alfalfa fields
| stated that they resulted in the most
nearly complete determination of the
| weevil larva that he had ever Known
and said further:
| 'INo fool that this nnpratiOn laws
the foundation for dependable and
| inexpensive method of controlling
the alfalfa weevil in regions where
, the acreageS are so great that no
land machine can cover the neces-
sary amount of ground in the re-
quired time
A careful comparison Of this method
with that incident to the use of ground
machines in the control of the cotton
leaf worm showed that approximately
two pounds of lead arsenate, when dis
tributed by an airplane, were fully as
effective as five pounds when spread
by ground machines, and that SIM
liar saving was made in the treatment
of peach trees and the alfalfa fields.
Now. while experiments have shown
that it is possible, with greatly re-
duced expense, to eradicate the great
enemies of the farmers crops by using
the airplane, nevertheless the ques-
ton that inevitably arises is concern.
ing it's practicability to the indivduai
farmer in actual farming operations:
1t is clear that great and poWer1ui
companies engaged in agriculture
would be able to own and operate
their own airplanes, but the small
farmer cannot do this. Happily,
this difficulty with reference to the
average farmer is met by the fact
that at least four companies already
have been organized in different parts
of the country which will perform
these necessary disinfecting and dust
| ing operations by contract at reason
able prices.
Contractors Available.
| Prominent among these contracting
firms are the Hoff- -Daland Dusting Co.
of Monroe. La: the International Air
ways. Inc. of Dallas, Tex; the Mem
| phis Air Port Co., at Memphis, Tenn.,
and the Southern Dusting Co. OF Tai
lulah. La. So now the small farmer
in many agricultural districts of our
land is able to contract with nrms
euuipped to do the work OF diSlnfect-
| ing by spraying and busting his fields
| in the same way and with as mucn
ease as the small wheat or barley
| farmer gets his grain thresheo py
contracting with travelling machine
| company.
Thus the use of the aeroplane has
shown enormous advantages to the
farmer due to a great saving Of time
| in operation, especially as the aero
plane is not impeded by irregularities
| in field topography. Moreover, 1t IS
known that with improved motor con.
| troll and better adapted equipment OF
the plane, with reference to uses such
as apply directly to agriculture, the
value of the aeroplane to the farmer
| is bound to be largely increased.
Although the aeroplane has done
| much to further our scientific knoWl-
edge and ameliorate agricultural con-
| ditions arising from epidemics of in
sets and fungicide pests, we should
not be unmindful of the fact that the
greater part of this field of useful
ness lies almost wholly in the future.
Great Future Predicted.
So far we have done little more
than to scratch the surface of it's use.
| fulness in this respect. We have
made observations of weather condi-
| tions and found that the germs of
plant diseases travel hundreds of
| miles in the upper air, and have
| located the places whence they come.
In this way we have greatly helped
toward controlling and exterminating
| them.
| 1t is easily conceivable that in a
similar manner the aeroplane may, in
| the not far distant future, clear up
some of the mysteries that relate to
the sporadic outbreaks of animal dis.
eases in localities far removed from
the known sources Of infection. In
like manner we may learn more con.
corning the relation of wind move.
ment to the spread of the brown rot
of the plum and peach, and we may
look forward to the day when all
forms of grain rusts and insect pests
may be controlled In wholesale
fashion.
But however great may be the con.
celvable practical uses to which the
farmer may put this swift-flying bird
like aid in the future. it has already
rendered most valuable service to the
| agriculturist in uncovering some OF
the basic facts of the problems of
| crop production.