Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-09
Plants That
Can 0utSmart
Bug Killers

i Nature. when she gave the worlds insects a craving
for plant food also invented few special gadgets
whereby plants could do little something protect
ing themselves against the devastating appees of flying,
creeping and crawling creatures
One of these mysterious weapons which helps plants
guard against the bugs that eat EN- strange poison
manufactured and stored its by Thunder
Vine much-honored native of China
Because the poison of the Chinese Vine
effective not only against that plants enemies
also attacks such everyday things pests
the cabbage and coding moths the States
Department Of Agriculture is raising this plant expert
mentally IN the hope of developing useful and econom
cal bug killer that will work we'll here
China
there not been a battle in the Far East several
plant experts Of this country might still be in
the dark about the virtues of this
tobugs plant.
This particular fortunate fight China had nothing
to do with invading Japs but battle of words be-
the landowners the small farmers along the
eys of the Yangtze River In the United States land
owner likely the fellow
but these things be different in the ORIENT
The landowners argued that these venerable vines
the mysterious God of sky rmbngs must not be pulled
from the hsdes because doing caused the soil to get
loose and wash away easily The respectful but none
the insistent Chinese farmers who apparently
interested their small cabbage patches and
cumber gardens their carrots and other vegetables than
keeping dirt the so-magnfcent hlsides, replied
that they couldn't raise vegetables without insect powder
which they the deadly roots of the Thunder
God vines Without this time honored insect killer most
unworthy bugs and would infes every garden be-
You'd possible And where would the farmers get
these sonecessary poisonous roots if not hill
sides where the vines grew In such abundance?
Hearing about this plant explorers from the United
States people not know there such crea-
tures-lstened the fight. The farmers arguments
must been good for the plant from the good
old L s A decided that not only was there something
home about but something to take home and try
special plant explorer given the job of getting
samples of the nseccda powder made by these Chinese
farmers cuttings the precious vines which
manufactured and stored the poison.
Now at an experimental farm at Glenn Dale, Maryland.
Anopric
insects killing powers of the ancient and respected
Chinese vines.
Although the has been going for about three
years Department of Agriculture not yet ready to
dist tribute bug killing Chinese plants to the public.
They enough of them and the experiments
no, yet completed the scientists satisfaction.
the laboratory the powdered root bark of this plant
has been effective killing codling moths, the
contry apple desroyers the larvae of the diamond
back moth which cabbage eater. and also imported
cabbage worm These insects all get their food by ac-
tually chewing up fruits and vegetables So far, the
powdered Thunder God root bark does not seem to Kill
insects the juices they suck from inside plants
THIS leads government bug experts to conclude that this
plant probably will be good killer of insects unlucky
enough to get poison into their stomachs but will not
harm those merely contact with externally
In the laboratories Washington, D. c., experts still
are at work problem Next Spring at field sta
Vnccnnes Indiana other experts VIII carry on the
good work
his hit The God plant itself may not even be
needed to continue III America the noble ougklHhE Jon
il has beer doing It's country for centuries
chemists ~ thc Department Agriculture trying
ia discover thu unknown poisonous ingredients which Ma
tre pli into the root Of this Chinese plant Once
they are take apart what Nature has so myster1-
oslv put together hey may be able to rebuild IL they
believe into a synthetic hIgkiler much cheaper and
easier 10 produce that actually the plant roots
For many years plant scouts Of the Department of
Agriculture have searched heay places of the
world and found plants that would be beneficial food
mr. otherwise Americans they could be made TO grow
on American and under the climate conditions Of this
country When TIE mysteries of the Chinese Thunder
Cod vine are unraveed and its synthetic substitute
finally is put work real rather experimental
r,g-lng lob this may another addition TO the long
list Of foreign plants that have been induced 10 do their
-. L. III I-rIInI I'll