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NOTES FRO M DDT_ CONFEREIICE 



Following are a few notes taken at raradom from the minutes of a 

 conference on DDT held at Horticultural Hall in Boston on October 19 i DDT 

 has no fungicidal value. It is very effective against mosquitoes. Beneficial 

 insects killed by DDT include hymenopterous parasites, lacewing flies, lady 

 beetles (to some extent), and honey bees. It will not control mites, Mexican 

 bean beetle and some aphids. Among scale insects, crawlers are killed to some 

 extent. It is very effective against both the grubs aad adults of the Japanese 

 beetle and against the corn borer. DDT applied April 29 gave protection against 

 gypsy moth for 6 to 8 weeks. Six weeks after application larvae blovm into 

 sprayed plots v/ere destroyed, DDT can be combined v/ith most insecticides and 

 fungicides. Lime probably should be left out of DDT sprays or dusts. DDT is 

 very effective against leaf hoppers and against fall v/eb worm. It is fairly 

 effective against oriental fruit moth although very ineffective when used 

 alone against curculio. There is a possibility that the Food and Drug Admin- 

 istration may stop the movement of apples v/ith DDT residue. 



DO YOU mm 



That DDT, if used indiscriminately, may interfere with pollination 

 and may also destroy insect parasites and predators which ordinarily keep cer- 

 tain injurious pests under control? This new material is very deadly against 

 certain groups of insects such as flies and moths and quite ineffective against 

 others. 



That the small, roundish holes often found side by side in horizontal 

 rows in the bark of fruit trees are made by a woodpecker commonly known as the 

 Yellow Bellied Sapsucker? This bird feeds to a limited extent on the inner 

 bark, cambium and sap of fruit trees although the major portion of its food 

 consists of insects and wild fruit. The amount of cambium consumed is not 

 large . 



That selective breeding of honeybees is now possible due to the suc- 

 cessful development of a technique for artificial insemination? Improvement 

 of the honeybee by breeding, hov/ever, need not be as slow as in cattle breed- 

 ing because 10 or more generations of bees can be produced during the time 

 require for one generation of cov/s. 



That, in the larger economy of Nature, insects are beneficial? A 

 prorainei.t entomologist of a generation ago, after pointing out the very bene- 

 ficial effects of various groups of insects said, "If the time ever comes when 

 insects are fought to the extent recommended by some economic entomologists, 

 there v/ill be as a consequence a great economic disaster due to the scarcity 

 of insects. 



That the 8 important commercial apple varieties in British Columbia 

 include three common New England varieties (Mcintosh, Delicious and Yfealtliy)? 

 In addition, the British Columbia list includes Rome Beauty, Newtown, Jonatiia«, 

 Vfinesap and Stayman. 



