Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-12-11
BY HUGH WELLS
Star Staff Writer

SseA SseAA "AAesA
The system Of checks and
balances In our Government
extends beyond the House YER
sus Senate or the Executive
versus the Judiciary.
Buried beneath q welter of
bureaucratic names, the Fish
and Wildlife Service stands
juxtaposed to Plant Pest Con-
troll Division.
Contrary to what might be
expected from Rachel Carson's
book, Silent Spring." which
was serialized in The Star, both
groups advocate the use Of pes
ticides. Although reticent to
display their differences, tn e
two groups have these also.
We've been accused Of plan
ming for creation Of biological
deserts" said Leo @. K. 1ver-
son, assistant director Of the
Plant Pest Control Division Of
the Department of Agriculture.
IF 1t were as obvious as this,
1t would be obvious to u.s."
mo sir" said Emory D. Bur-
CESS. director of the division,
II don't think we would be in
business If we were. I don't
think the damage to birds has
been extensive even with the
original dosage rates on the
fire ant. A number Of widely
spaced incidents where there
might have been more than
normal mortality rate have oc-
Cured, but I'm quite sure we
haven't upset the balance Of
nature"
Only S Per Cent Sprayed
The two men pointed out
that only 5 per cent of all
United States lands are treated
with pesticides. They also men,
toned the $50 per cent rule"
which pesticide proponents are
quick to define.
The rule says Il less than
so per cent Of the bird popula-
ton is destroyed, it will be
replaced within q year.
The Fish and Wildlife Serv-
ice, although exhibiting an un-
derstandable reluctance to take
issue with fellow civil servants,
views the use of pesticides with
a different philosophy-hesit-
ant acceptance. And they take
issue with the 5 per cent and
so per cent statements.
DR.. John Buckley, director Of
the Patuxent Wildlife Research
Center at Beltsville, Md, said
that although only 5 per cent
of United States lands may be
sprayed, pesticide residues are
present everywhere - and in
crasing.
wherever we have looked"
he said, there we have found
residues."
Studies by his division have
shown that residues can drift
extreme distances and have
been found 800 miles from the
nearest source of spraying.
DR.. Buckley also diSagrees
with the estimate that II less
than so per cent Of the birds
are killed in an area, they will
be replaced within a year.
When tests were made at
Patuxen removing over so per
cent Of the bird population, it
was only three days before a
large percentage was replaced.
Birds Migrate
DR.. Buckley explained that
when birds are removed from
a desirable area, others i'm
mediately come in to take ad-
vantage Of the food and the
nesting places.
I'm this way" he said, "the
sprayed area creates a kind of
lethal mosaic, sucking in new
birds" That is, as one bird
population is killed off, more
birds fly in to absorb the pes
ticide residue.
DR.. Buckley also takes issue
with the many agriculture and
industrial administrators who
state fatty that the damages
to wildlife have not been sig
nificant.
"Our ability to detect losses
among bird populations was
tested in an experimental study
onia 100-acre area Of the Pat
uxent Center" he said. when
approximately SO per cent of
the population of a certain
species was removed artificially.
standard census technique de-
tected a loss, but estimated 1t
at only about one-fourth of
the actual reduction.
Thus, obvious losses are
warning of the possibility
of highly significant popula-
tion-wide mortality" he con-
cluded. The problem Of con-
tamination is much more wide
spread than what the 5 per
cent figure suggests. We
do not have sufficient informa-
ton in terms Of wildlife to in
terpret the Importance and
meaning"
Tests &C the Patuxent center