Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-12-03
SILENT SPRING
U. S. Hit for Spray Rain Of Death

concern seems to have been
felt about the fire ant as o men
ace to crops or livestock.
With the development Of
chemicals of broad lethal pow
ers, there came a sudden
change in the official attitude
toward the fire ant.
In 1857 the United States
Department Of Agriculture
one Of the most re-
markable publicity campaigns
in its history. The fire ant sud-
denly became the target Of q
barrage of Government re-
leases, motion pictures and
Government inspired stories
portraying 1t as a despoiler of
southern agriculture and q kill
er of birds. livestock and man.
A mighty campaign was an
nounced, in which the Federal
Government In CO = operation
with the afflicted States would
ultimately treat some 20 mil
lion acres In nine Southern
States.
"Soles Bononzo" Seen
United States pesticide
makers appear to have tapped
q sales bonanza In the increas-
ing numbers of broad = scale
pest elimination programs con-
Quoted by the United States De-
partment Of Agriculture"
cheerfully reported one trade
journal In 1858, as the fire ant
program got under way.
Never has any pesticide pro-
gram been so thoroughly and
deservedly damned by practic-
ally everyone except the bene-
ficiaries Of this "sales bonan-
"a" It Is an outstanding ex-
ample Of an ill-conceived, bad
| " executed and thoroughly det-
rimental experiment in the
mass control of insects, an ex-
pertinent so expensive in dol
lars, in destruction Of animal
life, and in loss Of public con-
fidence in the Agriculture De-
partment that it Is incompre-
hensible that any funds should
still be devoted to it.
Against the departments I'M
documented claim that the fire
ant destroys crops and attacks
livestock is the careful study
of the Agricultural Experiment
Station in the State that has
had the most intimate expert
ence with this insect, Alabama.
According to Alabama scien-
lists, damage to plants in gen.
eral is rare. No damage to
livestock has been observed"
Protests (by conservationists
biologists and some entomolo-
gists) were ignored and the
program was launched in 1858.
Studies made by biologists Of
State and Federal wildlife
agencies and several UNIVERSE
ties revealed losses running all
the way up to complete de-
struction Of wildlife on some
of the treated areas. Poultry,
livestock and pets were killed.
Even q year after treatment, q
spring die-off Of songbirds oc-
Cured. When dead birds were
sent to the Fish and Wildlife
Service for analysis, more than
90 per cent contained residues
of dieldrin or heptachlor, the
poisons used in fire ant con-
troll. Bobwhite quail were vir-
tually eliminated on treated
areas. Wild and domestic tur-
keys were reduced in numbers
and seemed to have become
sterile.
BY 1859 several Of the South
ern States began to show In
creasing reluctance to continue
the program, being alarmed and
angry at the damage done by
the chemicals. Moreover, In the
words Of q Louisiana official
THE imported fire ant eradica-
! ton program is thus for q
: failure. There are more infest-
ed acres In Louisiana now 0r
} 1882 than when the program
began" I'd
Icopright 1852. By Rachel Carsons,
, Published By Houghton hhflin Col
TOMORROW: Bsyond dFsoms o.
; the Bossios.
The Stars l2-port seri0liEotioa
Of Silent Spring" beson Sunday.
J November Is. Boek copies mey be
I ordered BY phoning the ciFculotioa