The Salt Lake Tribune from Salt Lake City, Utah • Page 156

Part Two THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, Sunday, January 13, 1952 CROP LOSSES REDUCED Scientists Fight to Cut Insect Ravages By Dr. George F. Knowlton Professor of tatemology and Extension Entomologist, Utah State Agricultural College INSECT control is big busi- ness, any way you look at it. Insects regularly take a heavy toll of practically all farm crops as they are being pro- duced. The insects cause further loss of grains and of most other crops after they are placed in storage.

Insert pests attack buildings, clothing, carpets, and a great variety of stored grains, vegetables and even animal products. A number of scientists who have devoted years of study 10 insect and to insect loss average problems, of say that agricultural a crops due to insect attack would be placing the estimate 011 the conservative side. Complete loss of crops in certain areas due to grasshoppers, alfalfa weevils and to insect borne diseases is not uncomnon. Loss to livestock owners on crop-damaging aphids. L.

Dale Agricultural Experiment Station, prepares inWarring Haws, research assistant in entomology, Utah sects for examination. They cause celery loss. -V: I Alfalfa weevil controi is studied by Dr. George F. extension entomologist at Utah State Agricultural College.

DEEP GO THE ROOTS OF STABILITY AND SECURITY! It takes deep routs to support a mighty oak trce-firm foundations to build a stable economy. Millard County, with its thriving communities and its sound agriculturai development, is in a state of manent progress in which the future looms ever brighter. alfalfa seed center of the state, Millard County also is The a leader in development of prime cattle and prize sheep. The Millard County Junior Livestock show at Delta each year draws exhibitors from all the state. The county fair at Fillmore, county scat, is one of the leading agricultural events of Utah, and the Deseret Rodeo at Deseret presents one of the west's outstanding shows.

Each season the friendly folk of Millard Counry are host to thousands who find it a sportsman's paradise for deer, pheasant, duck and goose hunting. Truly. Millard County is a great placc in which to live. i 9 MILLARD COUNTY COMMISSION E13 and dairymen from inscets at Jeast as great as crop losses due to such pests. LET us take a few examples.

Grasshoppers are common pests in Utah and other western states causing damage of varying extent every year. The federal-state-county grasshopper control programs conducted in Utah front 1937 through 1950 saved an estimaied $10,062,707 worth of farm crops from destruction. This is an annual saving of $718,764 for the farmers W'ho actually practiced control. Much crop damage has resulted every year, where grasshopper controi has been neg. lected, or when only a partial control program was carried on.

Alfalfa seed production is an example of where insect control has paid off for farmers in the intermountain area. Largely based on the lygus bug and other insect control research of Professor C. J. Sorenson and F. V.

Lieberman of the Regional Legume Seed Research Laboratory staff, Utah State Agricultural Experiment Station, the alfalfa seed industry has come back to the profitable side of the ledger. After 1925,. and until DDT became available about 1946, high seed yields were unusual. Now, by producing a thrifty plant, free from lygus bugs, grasshoppers and alfalfa weevils, and when an adequate number of honcybee or wild bee pollinators are available. it is unusual to have an alfalfa seed failure.

The federal estimate of cash receipts from all livestock and livestock products in Utah during 1950 was $112,430,000. With so much at stake, it is surprising that a good many livestockmen have neglected to control cattle lice, cattle grubs, flies, sheep ticks, hog lice, poultry lice and other insects which reduce the income of the livestock producer. Extensive research in the midwest, a few years ago, showed that cattle on good pasture, where flies were controlled, produced 40 to 50 pounds more beef per head with no more feed, as compared with equally good animals which were annoyed by flies. This great and profitable increase in beef pro- is. duction was secured by means of about 10c worth of DOT per animal plus a little work.

LICE often cause severe ane. mia and lack of vitality in cattle and other farm animals. Much profit would come from more extensive livestock spraying and dipping programs throughout this region. Income from eggs for Uiah in 1950 reached nearly $15.000, 000. Yet many poultrymen failed to secure maximum egg production because poultry lice and mites were allowed to annoy the hens.

Alfalfa seed production is a good example of a place where the grower must invest to make money. Approximate. ly $135,000 is needed to put On the DDT spray or dust treatment in the bud stage for all of Utah's approximately 45,000 acres, which is vital if lygus bug control is to be secured. Without this treatment, and such other insect control as is required, Utah growers could never have produced a seed crop approaching the 575,000 yield which was made in 1950. In 1949, $5,474,000 worth of hay and $3,770,000 in alfalfa seed was harvested in this state.

Agricultural research is largely responsible for the strides which have been made in insect control during recent years. All farm products produced in Utah during 1950 brought a cash return to Utah farmers, Jivestock owners and dairymen estimated at $155,935,000. Applying the insect damage average figure to this, W'C could estimate that at cast 000 in farm products may have been lost due to insects. HAD it not been for a host of beneficial parasitic and predaceous insects, birds, toads, frogs and lizards, the growers would have had a much tougher job in producing the high quality crops, free from insect injury, which the market demands. Sensible pest control is the kind I like to see.

The grower should use properly timed and applied sprays; use efficient equipment and correct dosage of the most effective insecticide. This will make more money for the grower at less cost, than any other program. There are right and wrong ways 10 control insects, Often the prosperous farmer is the one who has learned. among other thinks. to handle pest control operations effectively.

Pest control is just one of the farm operations to be pracliced in an up-to-date and efficient manner. By knowing your county agricultural agent, and securing the up-todate results of federal and state experiment station re search. the most effective and economical pest controls will be at your disposal. NEW McCULLOCH 7-HP CHAIN SAW 755 WEIGHS ONLY 55 LaS. Cushioned power neutrotizes WITH vibration, gives CUSHIONED amazing smoothness.

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Geerse Circlerille in friendly Anderson Garage La Verkin Ed Gubler ST.GEORGE, UTAH Kanarraville Ken Gubler Tom Willioms Hurricane Washington Jack Morrison Ray Lunt Mt. Carmel Eardley's R. O. Barnes E. Cain Grant Cloves Clear Creek Enterprise Cedar City Teary Motor Springdale Tharley Motor Cedar Beaver City OIL COMPANY bountiful WASHINGTON COUNTY Rich as the proverbial land of milk pours Washington amounts County fruits, honey, luscious fruits, including figs, vegetables, plenty.

products The from grains, its varieties livestock of inexhaustible field and peaches mature readily. Turkeys thrive in mild, air, creating a majer industry, including the hatching of growers in other sections the state, and produce tien of for shipment hatcheries throughout the nation. the Development the Hereford terprise has the leading valing these lished and Hake these fertile fields, which the else produce much the high beet seed lamb the intermountain with variety altelfe track teed during winter. The county fair at Hurricane each year offers greater variety than any similar event in the west, and is indicative of the continued growth and agricultural development of the state's most favored section. WASHINGTON COUNTY COMMISSION.