428 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



" Chemical composition and properties of raw materials used in 

 manufacturing; methods of preparing various arsenical insecticides 

 and physiological effect of these compounds on insects." 



On the basis of chemical, bacteriological, and entomological inves- 

 tigations of sweeping compounds and the constituents of the same 

 made by the board, a " Notice to manufacturers of sweeping com- 

 pounds " was published October 6, 1917, in the seventeenth Service and 

 Eegulatory Announcement of the board, warning them not to make 

 in the labels for such products any disinfectant or insecticidal claims 

 which were unwarranted, and further advising that it had been the 

 almost universal experience of the board that such products were not 

 effective in either repelling or killing certain household insects, or 

 as disinfectants or germicides, when used as directed. 



On the basis of chemical and bacteriological investigations of wash- 

 ing and scouring powders and the constituents of the same made by 

 the board, a " Notice to manufactures of washing and scouring pow- 

 ders " was published October 6, 1917, in the seventeenth Service and 

 Regulatory Announcement of the board, warning them that if their 

 labels made germicidal and antiseptic claims the products must do 

 what was claimed for them, and further advising that a considerable 

 number of washing and scouring powders advertised as possessing 

 germicidal or antiseptic properties had been tested by the board and 

 it had been found that most of them were not effective as germicides 

 or antiseptics when used as directed. 



On the basis of chemical investigations made by the chemists of 

 the board and practical field tests made by the plant pathologists 

 and entomologists of the board a " Notice to manufacturers of Bor- 

 deaux-lead arsenate " was issued in the twentieth Service and Regula- 

 tory Announcement of the board, June 6, 1918. In this notice manu- 

 facturers were informed relative to the faults in their Bordeaux-lead 

 arsenate formulas, were informed of the practically universal faulty 

 statements made on the labels of such mixtures, and were informed 

 of the danger of using such a mixture on certain vegetation. Sug- 

 gestions were made designed to correct the above faults and bring 

 the products in conformity with law. 



Working in cooperation with the Bureaus of Chemistry and En- 

 tomology the board has collaborated with the United States Food 

 Administration in enforcing the provisions of the Food Control Act 

 of August 10, 1917, as it applies to insecticides. Chemical advice has 

 been given to the United States Food Administration and many data 

 have been supplied to them relative to names and addresses of manu- 

 facturers, lists of manufacturers engaged in the manufacture of cer- 

 tain types of insecticides, and the importance or nonimportance of 

 various insecticidal materials. A representative of the board has 

 attended several conferences between the United States Food Admin- 

 istration and manufacturers and has been able to supply data of 

 value. As a result of the activities of the United States Food Admin- 

 istration, assisted by the above-mentioned departmental agencies, the 

 price of arsenic asked by the producer has been reduced from 12 to 16 

 cents to 9 cents for carload lots and 9^ cents for shipments less than a 

 carload. This will presumably lead to a reduction in the price of Paris 

 green, lead arsenate, and other arsenical insecticides to the consumer. 



Working in cooperation with the Bureaus of Chemistry and Ento- 

 mology, the board has collaborated with the Wood Chemical Section 



