8 EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 354 



Considerable emphasis has been brought to bear through our Depart- 

 ment of Entomology in correlating the use of new chemical products with 

 the control of insects. The aim is to protect man and his food from the 

 ravages of insects. This menace to our far-flung battle lines may be little 

 realized by civilians. There is not only the disagreeable presence of biting 

 insects to be guarded against in one's clothing and immediate surround- 

 ings, or the ever present threat to stored food and packaged rations, but 

 also the much more serious menace from prevalent diseases in a new en- 

 vironment where natural immunity affords our soldiers no protection. Tru- 

 ly wonderful results have been accomplished and more are in prospect, 

 making life more endurable for our service men through the use of better 

 insect killers and repellents. We ar happy to have a part in this protec- 

 tive work. Some of the recent findings will be of inestimable value in post- 

 war comfort and sanitation in our own country. 



Another type of research might be exemplified by efforts in agronomy 

 and agricultural economics to determine the most efficient and practical 

 methods of providing more and better pasturage through brush removal, 

 fertilizing, reseeding, etc. Nature is a prolific producer of weedy bushes 

 and shrubs in our state. Unless we take better measures for rejuvenation 

 and maintenance of our pasture acres the continuing deterioration will soon 

 be extremely serious. Historically, a decline in pasture demand has tended 

 to make a diminishing supply less conspicuous for a period of years. Now, 

 the lessening supply is fast encroaching upon a more stablized demand. 



This project is related to the war effort both directly, by providing 

 against shortages for the duration, and more particularly, by having some 

 answers ready for those who may ask : What can be done in farm improve- 

 ment when more labor is available following the war? 



In anticipation of a need to conserve rubber and gas and in co-opera- 

 tion with the Office of Defense Transportation, we have continued to make 

 a study of the problems of transportation, particularly in relation to fluid 

 milk from farm to processor. In one case, plans of the middle Connecticut 

 milkshed have been evolved in re-routing and in co-operation which will 

 save nearly half the mileage and half the number of vehicles. In addition, 

 one-third of the number of "self-haulers" would travel one-fifth the dis- 

 tance and the whole job would be completed every day as before. 



From our scores of projects, many other examples could be enumer- 

 ated to prove our sensitiveness to the war needs. Many of our projects 

 would less conspicuously relate to the war or even to postwar conditions, 

 but would continue to contribute to morale among the producers or serve 

 as an inspiration to those who might otherwise become discouraged by 

 seemingly insurmountable difficulties with diseases or other threats to the 

 success with crops and animals. 



]\Iuch of our service work which helps to protect farmers against un- 

 scrupulous salesmen and poor products for feeding, fertilizer, and seeding 

 becomes doubly significant in times when the sources of farm supply may 

 be limited. Also the work in disease control through autopsies, pullorum 

 testing of more than a million units of poultry, and sanitary help with the 

 production of good milk is certainly no less important in these times of 

 labor shortage and necessary increased production. 



Additional Station equipment, not only in the laboratory for more 

 production with less man labor on Campus, but also in the field, has enabled 



