-5- 



f 

 Package Bees. Package bee shippers are faced with the difficulty of 

 obtaining wire cloth, tin feeding cans, and sugar. It is entirely possible, 

 therefore, that shipments of package bees may be below normal this spring. If 

 you plan to use package bees, it will be necessary to place your orders early. 



Price Ceiling on B eeswax . It is of interest to note that a price ceil- 

 ing has been placed on beesvmx and this was issued as of November 13, 1942. A 

 cash price of 41,5 cents per pound or 43.5 cents per pound in exchange for 

 supplies is the maximum allov;ed for crude domestic beeswax. 



Early Examination of Bees Desirable . Due to the difficulty experienced 

 by some in secur"ing~"sugar for feeding together with the presence of a large 

 amount of honeydew stored last season, it can be expected that the winter loss 

 of colonies may be above normal. Colonies found to be lov>r in stores can be fed 

 or doubled up v/ith other colonies having more food. If the colonies are low in 

 pollen, soybean flour containing not over 5^o fat can be given as a substitute. 



AGRICULTURAL INSECTICIDES FOR 1945 



Although smaller supplies of some insecticides may be obtainable this 

 year due to the war, the nation's farmers will still be able to carry on a 

 suitable insect control program if conservation and substitution practices 

 are follov/ed. The following report is based on a study made by the Food Re- 

 quirements Committee (novif Food Advisory Committee) of which Secretary of Agri- 

 culture Claude R. ITickard is chairman. Insecticides included in the report 

 are arsenic, cryolite, rotenone, pyrethrum, nicotine sulfate and copper. 



The only real shortages, the Committee points out, exist in the sup- 

 plies of rotenone and pyrethrum. Estimated supply of rotenone is placed at 

 3,600^000 pounds, with 1943 requirements likely reaching 4,225,000 pounds. A 

 supply of 16,000,000 pounds of pyrethrum is on hand but 17,250,000 pounds of 

 this insecticide will probably be needed this year. Supplies of arsenic, 

 cryolite, nicotine sulfate and copper chemicals seem to be sufficient, or the 

 possibilities of increasing the 1943 output is believed good enough to assure 

 adequate amounts of these materials for use as insecticides. It is believed 

 that some of these chemicals, particularly nicotine sulfate, will serve as 

 substitutes for some of the scarcer ones. Estimated requirements and supplies 

 of the following insecticides for 1943 are given in t'o'nst arsenic, 70,800, 

 70,800j cryolite> 6000, 9000; nicotine sulfate, 2350, 2400; and copper chemi- 

 cals, 102,500, 105,000. 



State and county U.S.D.A. V/ar Boardsare urged to assist farmers in the 

 selection of insecticides and to request them to use smaller amounts of the 

 more critical materials and to substitute wherever possible. Virtually all 

 insecticides have been placed under 17. P. B. control and most of them have been 

 restricted to use for agricultural crops only. In case of some chemicals such 

 as rotenone and pyrethrum, l/.P.B. controls permit their use on just certain 

 specified crops. For example, rotenone, in accordance v;ith the \<.P.B. regula- 

 tion, can only be used in the protection of food crops other than citrus fruits, 

 cotton, tobacco, cranberries, eggplants, cucurbits, onions, peppers, sweet 

 corn, or as a spray, wash or dust in the treatment of cattle for the destruc- 

 tion of grubs. O.P.A. regulations place most insecticides under certain price 



