~ re 
Species of Kalotermes so extensively damage the tops 0% telephone poles as 
to necessitate impregnating the entire pole, cross arms, etc., with coal-tar 
creosote. 
iE 
Dr. A. G, Boving represented the branch of Forest Insezts at the Cin+ 
cinnati meetings of the American Association for the ddvancement of Science. 
Doctor Craighead attended the meetings of the Society #f American Foresters 
at Baltimore, Md. 
SOUTHERN FIELD-CROP INSECT INVESTIGATIONS 
J, L. Webb, Entomologist Acting ir, Charge 
B, R, Coad, of Tallulah, la., spent most of the month in Washington, 
making a trip to New York to attend the meeting of the Arsenic Committee 
composed of representatives of arsenic and calciua arsenate manufacturers, 
of the Bureau of Entomology, and of the Geologicsl Survey, on December 6 
and 7. Mr. Coad is chairman of this Standing Committeé. J, L. Webb, Elmer 
Johnson, and C, M. Smith also attended the open session of the committee on 
December 7. A comprehensive statement concerning the arsenic situation was 
issued by the committee, of which the following is a brief summary. 
The consumption of calcium arsenate in 1923 was about 31,000,000 
pounds, practically double the consumption of 1922. The total stock on 
hand at the end of the season of 1923 was about 3,000,000 pounds, 
Under reasonably favorable conditions, including 2 minimum spread in 
price and a considerable amount of early buying, the demand for caicium 
arsenate may again double in 1924, . 
A price of 10 cents per pound for calgium arsenate to the consumer i 
out of the question, since the imported and domestic arsenic from which it 
is made has been selling for prices little if any below that figure. Were 
it possible for manufacturers to sell calciwn arsenate profitably at 11.5 
to 13.5 cents a pound (f. o. b. factory), tie demand would be from 65,000,000 
to 75,000,000 pounds; were the price to be J6 cents, the demand would drop 
to 35,000,000 or 40,000,000 pounds. 
General imports of white arsenic during the first 10 months of 1923 
amounted to §,384 short tons- a rate of abgut 10,000 short tons a year. 
Imports for consumption during the first h#lf of 1923 amounted to 5,674 
short tons, a little more than half the suggested rate for the year, If 
this rate continues until July 1, 1924, imports available for the "cotton 
year" will be about 10,000 tons, which, a¢dded to domestic prodyction, gives 
@ total possible supply of 28,000 tons of white arsenic, whereas the re- 
quirements based on 11,5 cents to 13.5 cants a pound for calcium arsenate 
cali for about 15,000 tons, and minimum requirements for other arsenic com- 
pounds call for about 10,000 tons more, The possible supply for the coming 
season, therefore, is equal to the possible demand, 
