THE COLBORNE EXPRESS, COLBORNE, ONT, NOVEMBER 4, 1948 Lots of Steak--If You Had the Price--This 1050-pound Angus steer was awarded, the grand championship in the steer cte »s at the Royal Livestock Show at Kansas City. Kenneth Eitel, (left) who showed the animal is receiving a check for $1000 donated by the Angus Breeders' Association. With that he should also be able to buy himself a porterhouse when the steer fulfils its destiny. HRONICLES ^SingerFarm Last week we had two cats, four kittens and a huge family of mice. This week we have two cats, one kitten and no mice. And we are very upset--but not about the mice! Our kittens, Mary, Martha, Mathew and Mark were really cute, and growing like weeds. Recently they decided the barn was a pretty good place to hunt and play--not only thatbut there was always milk to drink if they were around at the right time. However, I thought it was still a good idea to feed them bread and milk at the house twice a day; and if the kittens were not around at breakfast time I would call them and wherever they were they would hear me and come on the double. But one day Mathew was missing. Later Partner told me he seemed sort of dopey--just sitting around. Gambling on his nine lives I wasn't too worried, thinking he would come along when he felt like it. But next morning Partner brought a very sick Mathew to the house--too weak to walk. It seemed impossible a kitten could waste away so quickly. I tried to feed him whisky and milk; but it was no good, he was too far gone and in a few hours he was dead. The others were just as peppy as ever. But alas, two days later Mary fell sick. In another two days she.also had to be buried. Today it was Martha, so now Mark is the sole survivor of our kitten family. All the poor little things acted the same way -- Just weak, ,and couldn't, or wouldn't, eat. I trunk It was "couldn't" because so often Martha went up to her dish as if she would just love a drink of milk if she could swallow it. We thought they must have picked up some poison somewhere, so, when Martha also became sick I phoned the "Vet" but unfortunately he was away so that Martha was already dead before I got him^But he told me the trouble was undoubtedly distemper; and that it was everywhere, that he had given at least fifty cats and kittens "a shot" during the last two weeks. Without wasting any more time I rounded %0U'U be sorry If you order an appetizer for me. I'm hungry enough as it Is." up Mark and mother Whisky, and Bob took them down to the "Vet" right away. I hope we were not too late -- Mark was already showing signs of moping around. I am telling you this in detail because farms will be over-run with rats and mice if this distemper should be wide-spread--and apparently it can be prevented if the kittens are immunized at about three months old. Not only that but many people hate to lose their cats and kittens just as we do. Never before have we had an epidemic strike our feline family -- otherwise I would have had more sense and acted And now we come to the mice . . . and with the cats away the mice were surely at play They were everywhere, even to our sideboard drawers and my filing cabinet. I set traps, but all I caught were a few odd rodents, hardly big enough to be out without mother., The big ones knew enough to keep away from such things as traps. The situation was getting serious--cats dying and mice multiplying. Suddenly I remembered a packet of "mouse seed' which I had never opened ... I bought it about five years ago but had never had enough faith to try it. "Well, it can't do any harm," I said to myself. So I opened the little packet; placed some seed in a saucer as directed-- and the mice actually ate it. For two days now I haven't seen a mouse anywhere, except one wee, dead one. So it looks as if it works. But one thing worries me . . where are the mice and is there any likelihood of them being more offensive dead than alive? Anyway, I had to take that chance. Apart from mice and mammals, we have been busy. Partner finds plenty of "getting-ready-for-winter" jobs to do; Bob has been ploughing and I have been working on a paper-and-paint job in the dining-room. But one day I got really fed up. It was a- lovely day--sun shining and pleasantly warm--the. sort of day we are not likely to have so many of now. And I said to myself --"Are you crazy to stay in the house scraping off wall-paper when you could be outside?" So I shut the front door and drew down the blind--just to protect anyone from shock if they should happen to come around while I was away--be- I was leaving! Anyway I found Partner and Tippy outside and the three of us went off to the bush. I came back with a huge armful of autumn leaves--maple and red oak. If only Daughter could gee them. She writes from Fort William-- "One thing here disappoints me very much--there is no rich autumn, colouring. The leaves just turn brown and drop off." THEPAEM FRONT Jolw12usseiL. Since starting this column I have had a good deal to say about DDT and other chemical insectides which, in the past three years ,have shown promise of finally solving one of the oldest problems to face mankind--the problem of insect control. And it is hardly too much to say that DDT and its chemical relatives have had almost as great an effect on our war against insect pests as the atomic bomb has had on our ideas of human warfare. But now the other side of the story is beginning to be heard. Now we're having disturbing reports of what these chemicals do not only to plants but to people. Warnings have been issued about their use from high sources. And in order that readers may get the whole picture, I propose to quote, from articles published in leading agricultural magazines and elsewhere, some of the things everybody should know regarding these insecticides. As a rule before any new insecticide is offered to the public--before a single ounce is made available for general use--it is carefully tested and cross-tested for from 3 to 5 years. But when DDT was first developed, this procedure was not followed. Those who would test first and sell later were outnumbered. Everybody who could secure a supply of gallon jugs and coal-oii went into the fly-spray business. A minute quantity of DDT. a gallon of coal-oil and a jug--and we had another gallon of something labelled "DDT Fly Spray--100 per cent active ingredients." From the very beginning an insect-harried public went for it in a big way, purchasing huge quantities of DDT and its several relatives such as BHC, chlordane, chlorinated camphene, parathion etc. They have been sprayed, anywhere and everywhere. Homeowners have treated their houses and lawns. Farmers have covered their crops and their livestock. Whole communities -- even large cities--have been doused from the air with clouds of insecticide. But while this was going on, scientists have been going on with the tests which probably should have been completed before these products ever went on the market. They have tested the effects of the new compounds on human beings, on animals, on plants, and even on the microorganisms in the soil. The reports of these scientists are coming to hand; aid they carry the sobering, even frightening message that these bug-killers may be TOO EFFECTIVE. One of the great advantages of DDT was its straying power. One spraying would have an effect lasting for months. But now they're finding that, under certain conditions, it's not only long-lasting--it is practically i- ' ictible. Without changing form it accumulates in soil, also in the bodies of human beings and animals. "Soil to which DDT was added in 1945,'"says the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, "appears to be as potent with the insecticide DDT and its cousins are not dissolved by water. When turned under the soil-surface along with stems and other plant-residues, they remain as potential trouble-makers in the upper few inches of the ground. completely stop the action of the nitrogen bacteria, without which we cannot hope to grow good crops. In one test a content of BDT amounting to 100 pounds to the acre cut down a rye crop by 50 per Naturally nobody would ?pply any thing like 100 pounds of insecticide to an acre in any one year. But'if what was put on this year is still there 10 years from now-- along with what has been applied each season between now and then --it would appear as if farmers were going to find their yields decreasing, and gardeners discovering their garden soil sterile and useless. Take, for example, orchards. "Many orchardists already apply 50 pounds of DDT a year to each acre of their orchards," says one authority. "If experimental results mean anything, within 4 years they'll not be able to raise good rye or other cover-crop. Because B|DT stays near the surface it's not likly to harm old trees. But when the fruit grower has to replant with young trees, their roots will be near the surface and may be in- cides are so valuable to agriculture that we're not in a position to say they should not be used. But we do want to give warning that careless and excessive use may cause trouble." All this may sound serious enough, but there[s even more disturbing news to' follow. There are many ways in which DDT and its relatives can find their way into the human body. One is by people eating crops grown on insecticide-treated ground, although so far only two of these bug-killers have been discovered moving from soil plant. One of these is purathion; the other BHC. But folks aren't likely to eat much BHC--at least not willingly. Its strong, musty ordor will warn them, as some potato-growers know. In the past year many of them used BHC in the soil to control wire-worms. The potatoes turned out well--high-yielding and smooth. But they were so tainted with BHC that they couldn't be sold. Space considerations prevent us from printing the entire story regarding this important matter in this issue. Be sure and look for the balance next week. Comforting Nervous Passenger: "I don't feel at all safe in this leaky old ferry Boy: "Cpn't worry, ma'am. If anything happens to you, I'll take the blame." --*- STARTING SOON Be Sure and Watch For It--Clip It Out and Save It A GREAT NEW WEEKLY FEATURE HOW-TO-FIX-IT by Tom Gregory By means of pictures and easy-to-follow directions, Tom Gregory goes through every room in your house, from kitchen to parlor, basement to attic--and outside too. HOW-TO-FIX-IT covers kitchen equipment, closets and bothersome bureau drawers; discusses plants, dishes, silverware, cleaning and tools. It's clever, sincere and packed with handy information you will delight in putting DON'T MISS IT HOW-TO-FIX-IT STARTS IN AN EARLY ISSUE Great Danger in Woodlot Depletion In his last public appearance as Minister of Planning and Development, Mr. Diana Porter uttered a warning that ought to be widely heeded. Speaking at the opening of the second annual Exhibition of Industry and Progress at Kitchener and Waterloo, he referred to the fine and long-established industrial development of these two progressive cities. But he also pointed out that the reservoir of skilled and experienced labor in that area tended to attract other industries in increasing numbers. Though this expansion was superficially exciting, and perhaps produced boom conditions and apparent prosperity, Mr. Porter pointed out that over-expansion industrially had dangers for the smaller cities of Western Ontario, says the Toronto Globe and Mail. Not the least of these is the danger of exceeding the water supply. It might seem extraordinary that this warning should be'necessary in an area which only last spring had an "overabundance" of water swirling across its farms and down its streets. Those floods were the warning signal of the shortage to come, because they indicated that there was nothing to check the headlong runoff of the spring rains and melting snows. In other words, the people of Western Ontario, past and present, had cut down too many of the trees that are nature's best means of holding back the precious surplus of spring. Mr. Porter pointed out that several of the Western C ttario communities are dependent on springs and artesian wells for their water supply. If the water table falls too low, these also will tend to dry up. Unless corrective measures are undertaken on a large scale immediately, there is every probability of a disastrous water shortage in a very few years. Much of the cause of this serious condition lies in woedlot depletion. At least 20 per cent of rural land ought to be covered with trees. But in Essex County, for instance, there is only 2 per cen' of forest cover, Middlesex County is slightly better with 6 per cent, and Waterloo County approaches almost halfway to the desirable cover with 9 per cent. This is far too little. A remedy lies at hand in the formation of the riyer valley conservation authorities, which have broad powers to promote reforestation and other conservation measures. They can only proceed, however, as fast as public opinion will allow. It is time that a concerted effort was put forth to avert the disaster pending, and for which, if it falls, the citizens, rural and urban alike, will have only themselves to blame. Volunteer Fireman Risks Life to Avert Disaster WINS DOW AWARD Z0TIQUE PERRAULT of Ste. Agothe des Moots, Que., is hero in gasoline tank blaze A truck had been taking on a load of gasoline from one of the huge tanks in the oil company's storage yard. Suddenly there was a small explosion and a spurt of flame licked hungrily around the mouth of the tank. In a few seconds the entire tank was As no chemicals were available, the Fire Brigade could only pour water from three hoses on the burning tank... and onto the two adjoining ones, as yet untouched. CITIZENS WARNED Several hours later the tank was still blazing . . . and as a disastrous explosion was possible at any moment, Ste. Agatha citizens were warned by loudspeaker to stay clear. Young Zotique Perr'ault then decided that there was only one thing to do. If the valve on the tank were closed, the gasoline could no longer continue to feed the flames. He found a pole with a hook on the end ... and came as close as he could to the blazing tank. Then, cooly and calmly, he worked with the pole until he finally succeeded in shutting the valve. A short while later the fire was brought under control. We are proud to pay tribute to the bravery and unselfishness of Zotique Perrault of Ste. Agathe des Monts, Que., through the presentatiortof The Dow Award. THE DOW AWARD is a citation for outstanding hero ism and includes, as a tangible expression of appreciation, a $ioo Canada Savings Bond. Winners are selected by the Dow Award Committee, a group of editors of leading Canadian daily newspapers. An explosion seemed almost inevitable . . . and with four oil companies in the area a terrible disaster might have been the result. Citizens were warned by loud-speaker to stay well away from the fire. ARCHIE By Montana