Evening star., 1952-01-02
New Insecticides Saving
Formers Millions Yearly
Most Potent Are voriutions
Of Military Chemicals
By Thomos R. Henry

New insecticides and weed killers.
some OF the most potent of which are
variations Of military chemicals devel-
oped during the last war, are piling I'D
nine-f1gure savings for American farm
erS.
At the same time the age-old struggle
OF man against the weeds and bugs
threatening his food supply Is growing
more intense and demanding more pow
erful chemical weapons.
Notable is the war-developed weed kill
Ter. 2.4-D. Of which approximately 28
million pounds were used two years ago
and the demand for which is believed
to have increased even more since then.
Its services were summarized in a recent
symposium before the Chemical Engi-
neerS' Club by Dr. S. A. Rohwer, assistant
chief Of the Department Of Agriculture's
Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quar-
antine:
I'm 1948 it is estimated that farmers
In the south-central part of Canada
used 2.4-D on million acres and in
creased the yield Of wheat 81 million
bushels.
Pasture Values Rise 2O%.
"The value Of pastures in Oklahoma
is estimated to be increased 20 per cent.
In North Dakota the yield Of durum
wheat is reported to have been increased
from Is to SO per cent by controlling
mustard.
"One county in Kentucky reported an
increase in yield Of corn worth So million.
From Oregon there is reported an In
Af {,,
capacity Of pasture for beef cattle. In
1948 Kansas farmers saved much of their
corn and small grain by controlling
weeds which would have robbed these
crops Of moisture. Corn production was
increased in parts of Iowa by as much
as Is per cent"
But even these advances are small
compared to some achieved with the
newer insecticides, notably DDT. Some
OF the accomplishments listed by DR..
Rohwer:
Control Of wireworms in one year In
Louisiana increased the per acre yield Of
sugar cane by 20 tons and the per acre
Increase in sugar by $500 pounds.
By using Is million pounds Of DDT-
sulphur mixture on 375,000 acres in
Arizona the yield of cotton lint was
increased 145 pounds per acre. Value
Of the harvest was increased $9.350, 900.
In one year alfalfa seed growers in
California increased the seed yield 600
per cent--from 275 to 1,128 pounds an
acre.
Use of one gallon OF a DDT prepara-
ton per acre on $4,000 acres controlled
tussock moth infestation in Idaho and
protected is million board feet Of
spruce and fir valued at $46 million.
BY spending So to IS per acre to treat
sweet corn with DDT, South Texas
farmers increased the per acre value Of
the crop by $125.
In one recent year, million acres
were treated to control the European
corn borer. The yield was increased by
10 million bushels. Even then the pest
caused loss of more than 300 million
bushels.
Spraying From Planes.
In 1850 insecticides, mostly new one
known as parathion, were sprayed on
$4,000 acres IN Oklahoma to control
the pest of wheat known as "greenbugs"
Most of the spraying was from planes.
The cost was $Is307, 900. The result
was 2.615,000 bushels Of wheat worth So
bushel. Even so. it Is estimated, the
pest caused Oklahoma farmers a loss Of
almost 80 million bushels.
Use OF DDT insecticides to control the
cattle pest known as hornfy is estimated
to have increased milk and meat pro-
duction throughout the country by the
value Of $45 million. In specific area
the weight of herd of beef cattle in
creased over the average by 1900 pounds
Of meat. In another area milk produce
ton increased 20 per cent.
During 1850, 68 million pounds of
insecticides as dust and million gallons
as sprays were used to treat rs per cent
OF the cotton acreage of Mississippi.
That year cotton insect pests were un.
usually abundant. Without the insecti-
cldes the crop would have been nearly
total loss.
Without grasshopper control by appli-
cation of insecticidal bats to range
lands of Montana and Wyoming in 1949
1t is estimated that II million pounds Of
beef would have been unmarketable.
There are about $500 species of in.
sects now known, DR.. Rohwer said.
which cause important losses to- farmers.
New ones constantly are appearing an
man further upsets the balance of ma
ture.