the seed of small-grain crops is treated with a fungicide before 
planting to protect against soil-borne organisms and certain 
other fungus diseases. Most of the potato crop is now planted 
with certified seed, which is much more expensive to produce 
than is ordinary table stock. Soil fumigation is practiced 
when valuable crops are to be grown in soil heavily infested 
with nematodes. Several plant diseases that are the subject 
of publicly financed control programs are later referred 
to in the discussion of cooperative control programs. 
The following estimates are for the annual expenditure by 
private companies and individuals for fungicides, for labor to 
apply them, and for Adeprecdation on machinery required for their 
applications: 
Million dollars: 
Spraying and dusting, mainly of fruit and 
VEGS table iCropSs Weis eles ciss sow Wel sels eeslsieres $ 72 
Chemical treatment of seed, mainly grain 
CPOPScevceccecveces C0 oe eeeeoseosessrse0ece® Dy 
Production of disease-free planting materi- : 
al, mainly certified potato seed......... 2h 
Soil fumigation, mainly for nematode 
CONETOM a /eiciejciels| cole e\cl01e s'e/e wivieielcicilsis.cle\ viel « alailel's 8 
Total. ..s.ceereeees - $118: 
Cooperative Control Programs 
Under specific legislation the U. S. Dapahensnt of Nevieulturs 
cooperates with the States in certain extensive insect and plant 
disease control and regulatory programs. Current programs can be 
classified into three categories as follows: 
> Eradication of incipient infestations of introduced 
agricultural pests. The only such program currently 
in operation is the one on the eradication of the 
Hall scale, a serious pest of stone fruits. 
(2) Prevention of spread of destructive pests of foreign 
origin that have become established in limited areas 
in this country. Regulatory programs are being 
carried on to prevent the spread of the golden nema- 
tode, gypsy moth, Mexican fruit fly, Japanese beetle, 
phony peach, peach mosaic, pink bollworm, sweetpotato 
weevil, and white-fringed beetle. Pests that are 
confined to limited areas by cooperative control and 
regulatory action do not normally cause the tremendous 
losses that would occur if they were distributed over 
their entire ecological range. 
- 183 - 
