WAR ON LOCUSTS

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 163, 7 April 1934, Page 7

WAR ON LOCUSTS

Large-Scale Attack Planned POISONOUS DUST Distribution by Aeroplane BRITISH SCIENTIST’S PLAN (British Official Wireless.) (Received April 6, 7.30 p.m.) Rugby, April 5. A large-scale attack by clouds of poisonous dust distributed iron) an aeroplane is to be made upon the locust swarms which cause annually £ll millions damage in tropical and sub-tropical Africa. ’l’liis new method was evolved by Mr. 11. 11. King, who two years ago wher. Government entomologist to AngloEgyptian Sudan, discovered by labor itory tests that adult locusts fell speedy victims to a spray of finely ground sodium arsenite. He conceived the itjea that swarms might be successfully countered by discharging a cloud of this poisonous'dust from an aeroplane flying across tlie line of their flight. His suggestion was taken up by the locust control committee of the Economic Advisory Council, and funds were provided by the Colonial Development Fund. ’ Technical advice and assistance on the many problems involved were obtained from Royal Air Craft establishment, the Farnborough Imperial Institute of Entomology, and the Chemical Defence Research Department of the War Office, and all now required is a practical full-scale trial. This is to be undertaken by Mr. King himself. To-morrow he sails for Northern Rhodesia, where an aeroplane chartered from Imperial Airways and fitted with special apparatus and a consignment <>f finely powered sodium arsenite await his arrival. Locusts are abundant in this territory. and it is hoped that Mr. King during' his flights next month will be able to collect sufficient data for the locust control committee to judge of the efficaev and practicability of the scheme. If successful, details of the method will be made more available in all territories where locusts are a menace to agriculture. During the last live years a committee of the Economic Advisory Council, financed partly by the Empire Marketing Board, the British colonies and the dependencies affected, and Anglo-Egypt-tiiw Sudan, has been making a survey of the breeding grounds and migratory habits of locusts. Swarms of locusts range over enormous areas. Hitherto attacks have been concentrated on locusts in their larval, or hopper, stage, but these are ineffective where locusts inhabit thick bush country. Thus great importance attaches' to this wholly new method of combating the plague.