Ttie trade marl< , Sevln, was selected by Union Carbide Corporation 

 because more llian 7,000 compounds were screened before the product was 

 discovered. Sevin actually was compound No. 7,7'|Lk Company scientists 

 began calling it "Seven". Tlie word was deliberately misspelled as 

 "Sevin" in order to register it as a trade name. Its chemical name is 

 1-naphthyl N-methylcat^bamate . 



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MOUSE ACTIVITY UNDER PLASTIC AND MY MULCHES 



John W. Peterson, District Agent 

 U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

 Amherst, Massachusetts 



Since the advent of plastic, there has been a question as to its 

 value as a mulch under young fruit trees. Of particular concern is its 

 attraction or repellency to mice. Therefore, studies were conducted in 

 1963 and 196^1 in cooperation with Extension Pomologist William J. Lord 

 and Regional Agricultural Agent G. Everett Wilder to evaluate mouse ac- 

 tivity under hay- and plastic -mulched trees and under those having the 

 vegetation controlled by herbicides. Tests were conducted in Abner Peck 

 and Sons' orchard in Shelburne, Massachusetts. The data collected dur- 

 ing the 1963 test was considered invalid because there was a low mouse 

 population in the area selected, making it difficult to measure differ- 

 ences in mouse activity. Hence, it was decided that another test would 

 be carried out in 1964 



The 1964 tests showed no significant difference in mouse activity 

 under trees mulched with hay or black plastic. The presence or absence 

 of simazine around tree bases showed no attraction or repellency to 

 mice. From the standpoint of orchard mouse control, it is better to 

 have no cover around the tree bases, as indicated by the fact that where 

 the vegetation was controlled with simazine, no mouse activity was ap- 

 parent. 



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POMOLOGICAL PARAGRAPH 



Hardware Cloth Guards - A grower reports that his carton stapler 

 is useful for stapling together hardware cloth wire guards used for 

 mouse protection. Generally, M staples are used on each 24 inch high 

 guard. The guards, which are prepared on a rainy day, are ready for 

 placement around the newly planted apple whips. Naturally, it would 

 usually be impossible to slip the guards down the stems of older trees, 



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