20 



Table 1. PEST CONTROL EXPENDITURES AND LOSSES FRC»1 PESTS 

 Pest Control Expenditures (Estimated Annual Cost. 1942-51) 



Insects 



Plant Diseases 



Weeds 



Total 



Losses from Pests 



Insects (1951 



Plant Diseases (l95l) 



Weeds (1955) 



Total 



$ 400 million 

 $ 118 million 

 $ 1.486 million 



$ 2,004 million or $2 billion 



3.6 billion 

 3.4 billion 

 4.0 billion 



11.0 billion 



Reference 



[20 

 [20 

 [53; 



Note: 



These figures have increased during the last decade or so, despite the 

 use of pesticides. Agricultural economists state this is due to in- 

 flation, not due to the use of pesticides. The figures on loss are 

 estimates. 



Table 2. THE NUMBERS OF BASIC COMPOUNDS IN FIVE MAJOR GROUPS OF PESTICIDES 



Reference 



81 fungicides (10-15 most important) 

 66 insecticides (15-18 most important) 

 41 herbicides (8-10 most important) 

 17 fumigants (4-5 most important) 

 11 rodenticides (4-5 most important) 



216 Total (41-53 most important) 



[31], [44] 



"These are formulated into more than 6,000 trade-named products by more than 

 300 companies in the United States." [31] 



