8 CIRCULAR 862, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



and Poos (20) worked 200 pounds per acre of DDT into the top 

 2 inches of a light soil and immediately planted corn, cotton, 

 soybeans, and peanuts. Germination of the seeds was not affected. 



BHC 



BHC in the soil has proved more toxic and toxic to more plants 

 than DDT. Except at very low concentrations it has generally 

 interfered with germination. 



Brooks and Anderson (7) coated corn and bean seed with BHC 

 in a "sticker"; seeds carrying more than 4 ounces technical 

 BHC per bushel were seriously injured. Four pounds per acre 

 dusted into the row on the seed before covering them depressed 

 germination of corn and lima bean. Wilson and Choudhri (46) 

 found 3 p. p. m. of technical BHC in soil toxic to red clover, soy- 

 bean, and hairy vetch; 30 to 1,000 p. p. m. caused serious injury. 

 Clausen and Gunthart (10) indicated that 130 kilograms of tech- 

 nical BHC per hectare was harmful to clover, grasses in sod, and 

 newly transplanted cherry trees. According to Bonnemaison (5) 

 20 to 48 kilograms per hectare was toxic to oats, barley, wheat, 

 beets, and potatoes. Aguilar and Grison (1) claimed some potato 

 varieties were not injured, while other varieties were variously 

 reduced in yield as much as 89 percent by 20 kilograms per hec- 

 tare of technical BHC. Kostoff (25) suggested that BHC might 

 result in varietal deterioration if seed is saved from plants grown 

 in treated soil because it induces chromosome irregularities as 

 well as growth abnormalities. Riherd (37) obtained only a 9 per- 

 cent stand of corn that was dusted with 5 percent gamma BHC 

 and 95 percent pyrophyllite, in the row, over the seed before 

 covering with soil. The check gave 52 percent stand. Grayson 

 and Poos (20) worked 100 pounds of technical BHC per acre into 

 the surface 2 inches of a light soil and immediately planted corn, 

 cotton, soybeans, and peanuts. Corn was nearly completely killed, 

 and 44 to 80 percent of the other plants died. Kulash (27) re- 

 ported 3.2 to 32 pounds of technical BHC per acre retarded corn 

 germination. Allen and others (3) found 17 pounds per acre of 

 technical BHC annually for 2 years harmless to tobacco, cotton, 

 cowpeas, and rye, but 50 or 80 pounds in 1 year seriously injured 

 tobacco and reduced stands of cotton the first year; differences 

 were not significant the second year. It appeared to stimulate 

 cowpeas. Morrison and others (32) reported approximately 220 

 pounds of technical BHC destroyed a majority of the vegetable 

 crops planted, suppressed weeds for several months, and that few 

 vegetables — chiefly crucifers — escaped injury. Corn, cucurbits, 

 and legumes were largely killed. Stitt and Evanson (h2) applied 

 1.5 and 6.0 pounds of technical BHC (36 percent gamma) and 

 0.5 and 2.0 pounds of pure gamma BHC to the soil. The higher 

 dosages of each reduced stands of cucumber and turnip ; and 

 6.0 pounds of technical reduced bean, beet, and chard germina- 

 tion. All test crops were affected. Sakimura (39) found 25 to 

 100 pounds of technical BHC per acre to injure peas, with increas- 

 ing severity as the dosage increased. Chulski (9) mixed 5, 10, 

 20, and 40 pounds per acre of technical BHC in the upper 3 inches 



