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55^ Meeting With the Secretary WHEN SECRETARY of Agriculture Freeman comes to Great Falls on October 9, wheatgrowers will have an opportunity to see and hear a man who will have a lot to do with future wheat legislation— or the absence thereof. What is more important is that the Secretary will hear at first-hand what Montana wheatgrowers meant when they voted against the wheat referendum and what they think should be done—or should not be done—about a Federal wheat program in the future. Mr. Freeman has frankly stated that Trouble Ahead for Insects THERE WOULD BE widespread con sternation in the insect world if the deni zens thereof knew what USDA's Agricul tural Research Service is plotting against them. Dr. Byron T. Shaw, Director of ARS, recently touched on some of the proce dures which are being pushed: "We could utilize biological agents to greater advan tage if we had pesticides that would kill harmful insects without harming their parasites and predators. He added that the traditional biologi cal control method—pitting good insects against bad—often falls short. It does not give the high degree of control that pro tection of our food, fiber and health de mands. Of the approaches to control that are being researched and utilized today. Dr. Shaw pointed out, the use of sterile in sects to promote their own destruction is the most spectacular. It was used to eradi cate the screwworm from southeastern United States through the sterilization of male screwworm flies with radioactive cobalt. This method is also being utilized against several other insects in recent tests, some of which have brought en couraging results. Sterilization of insects in the natural population by the use of chemicals is one of the most promising new techniques. Scientists have found more than 50 chemi Clÿzl — CfiuoÙA. Chemistry and Fond Supply THERE'S A LOT OF RUCKUS these days over the use of agricultural chemi cals. Some persons would stop their use entirely, even of chemical fertilizers. If those folks had their way, we would not have a food surplus problem for long. We might even eradicate unemployment. Everybody would be busy fighting bugs for his food supply. Dr. Daniel G. Aldrich Jr., dean of agriculture at the University of Califor nia, points out that 40 per cent of our crop production can be credited to fer tilizers alone. Think for a minute where our standard of living would be if we suddenly had to reduce our food supply 40 per cent. It wouldn't be long until we would be getting hungry. Food would be high he is confused by the conflicting opinions he has been hearing at Washington. For this reason he is making a quick tour of the principal wheat regions so he can meet growers and learn for himself what they are thinking. We hope representative growers from all over Montana will take the Secretary at his word and come to Great Falls for the meeting. Frank questions and equal ly frank answers will do much to clear the air as to what growers really want— and what they may expect from Wash ington during the months ahead. cal compounds that cause sterility in in sects. Another new control method scientists are studying is the utilization of the vital natural attractants to which insects re spond, such as their food supply, the op posite sex, and host plants or animals on which they feed or reproduce. Work is being done in isolating highly specific at tractants and then duplicating them syn thetically in the hope of using them to draw insects to poison, sterilants, and other materials. Breeding of crop varie ties that resist damage by various pests is another control weapon on which ARS is working. While the development of such a variety takes from 10 to 25 years, it is effective and there is no problem of chemical residue. In the still more distant future lies the use of insect-resistant livestock. In jection of systemic insecticides has been found to help farm animals ward off in sect attack. And scientists are exploring the possibilities of inducing immunity to parasites in livestock. Research on colors, air currents, heat, sound, light and other forms of radiant energy to which insects respond is re vealing promising methods of both at tracting and destroying insects. Use of bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa that attack insects is also increasing. Slowly but steadily, the scientists seem to be getting the upper hand in the con tinuous battle against destructive insects. priced. We would have food lines. There wouldn't be Food for Freedom. Food now takes a little less than 20 per cent of our spendable income. Sup pose we had to spend even half of our income for food. There wouldn't be much left for automobiles, television, and re frigerators. As Dr. Aldrich says, we have long passed the point where anyone can seri ously think of going back to a chemical free, technology-free agriculture. It is simply a matter of feeding and clothing our people. It is estimated that we are headed for a population of 400 million by the end of the century- These people will want to eat—perhaps on an even better level than today. We will need even better tools of / production. And they will include chemi cals to control insects, plant diseases, weeds, and to speed plant growth, in crease yields. We will know how better to use these chemical tools and they will be accepted without argument in our food production programs. Some folks argue that foods grown in soils fed with chemical fertilizers and pro tected from insects with sprays don't taste as good as those grown in the good old days. We suspect that the sense of their taste buds isn't as keen as it was in the good old days.—Kansas Farmer. t/i£ Ù Here are some jolting facts about danger on every farm and ranch: 8,700 people died in U.S. farm accidents in 1961. Work accidents comprised 31 per cent of all farm accidents. Falls caused between 15 and 20 per cent of the farm accident death toll. Today's farmer and rancher has to be a mechanic, carpenter, electrician, and all-around engineer. He must also know how to handle and use chemicals, fertilizers, power machines, and various fuels. Avoiding accidents re quires continuous care and vigilance. And it's a mighty good idea to carry adequate accident and disability insurance. „ * * * The cow producing twice as much milk as another cow can bring up to nine times the return for management and labor, according to a study made by North Dakota State University. Researchers found that a cow producing 615 pounds of butter-fat would return her owner $3.77 per hour for labor while a cow producing only 300 pounds of butter-fat would re turn 43 cents per hour. The difference in final return is due to the better cow pro ducing so much more above overhead costs. ♦ 4> * With Federal supports slipping, wheat quality will become all the more impor tant as a price factor. Not only individual growers, but areas and regions, will suffer if milling quality is not maintained. Win ter wheat growers should keep away from Yogo. * * * There are several reasons why large corporate farms are not likely to become numerous," contends Marvin Briggs, member of the Federal Farm Credit Board. cannot be easily aggregated into solid blocks because family farms are not fre quently offered for sale. Too, land which is offered for sale tends to be absorbed by adjacent family farms. Secondly, a large corporation farm can't be super vised looking down a production line. Su perintending 10,000 acres of farm land will spread a manager's talents too thin, and costs of production per unit will in crease. 44 In the first place, large farms n ' ? MONTANA FARMER-STOCKMAN —COVERS MONTANA AND NORTHERN WYOMING— OFFICE 414 2nd Ave. North, Great Falls, Montana LESTER COLE, Publisher; DON R. BOSLEY, Associate Editor ; LARRY GILL, Livestock Editor; RAY OZMON, Field Editor. BILL HIETT, Purebred Livestock Specialist. Department Editors: AMY MARTIN, Rural Homes De partment; DR. W. W. HAWKINS, JR.. Veterinary Depart ment; ARTHUR F. SHAW. Soils and Crops; RAY REIMAN, Market Analyst; OSCAR L. MOLDENHAUER. Weather Forecast; MONT H. SAUNDERSON, Ranch, Farm Management. LARRY GILL, Advertising Director; EARL STEFFANL Local Advertising Representative. Advertising Representatives, Western Farm Paper Unit— CHICAGO 4. Fred Toof. National Adv. Manager, 28 E. Jackson; NEW YORK 18. Walter J. Schaff, Manager, 500 Fifth Ave.; SAN FRANCISCO 5, Frank Schoenbein, Manager, 321 Tidewater Building. Member of Western Farm Faper Unit, Audit Bureau of Circulation and Agricultural Publishers Association SUBSCRIPTION PRICE: $2 for one year; Canada, one year, $3. RENEWAL AND CHANGES— If the date on your label is not changed within three weeks after sending in your remittance, please write us. If you wish a change of address, give both new and old postoffices. ADVERTISING—Full information regarding advertising rates, etc., sent on application. Subscribers are requested to mention promptly to us any advertiser who fails to live up to his advertising agreement.