Tag Archives: insecticide

February 22, 1942

Sunday 2/22.

My dear Ina & Boys,

I am enclosing a clipping from the Washington Post of today which is of much interest. They tried to get voluntary releases of personnel from government agencies but this failed, so now they are trying a new wrinkle. If you wanted a transfer to Wash. instead of Orlando, I imagine it would be easy because it could not be blocked in the Bureau. If it were not for Cushing I would not mind so much, because you know how I feel about the rest of them. The work at Orlando will be the most important war work in the Bureau & probably just as important as any except firing bullets.*

February 22, 1942

February 22, 1942

I kept the sedan delivery here today but I did not go out to Beltsville. It has been real cold yesterday & today and it was not especially urgent that I go over the fumigated material until tomorrow. I hope I can get away about the end of the week but cannot tell yet. I want to get the answer if I can by that time.

If you have any strong convictions about transferring, please let me know. After the war it may be difficult to get into other govt work which might mean taking the retirement. It would amount to about $150 per month at present. After about 6 yrs more or 30 yrs service would amount to about $200 per mo. I doubt if I could leave the Bureau before about 6 yrs. By that time we may be in the middle of another depression & it would be difficult to get started in something else.

With love,
Walter.

P.S. Think I’ll talk to the Public Health Service. Theirs should be permanent.

* Walter is not bragging. Louse-borne typhus was deadlier than any weapon in World War I, and all indications were that it would take a similar toll in this war. An army that could prevent and/or treat louse infestations would have an immense advantage over one that couldn’t.

February 21, 1942

Sat. PM 2/21-42

Hurray for Tommy & 96 steps.

My dear Ina & Boys,

I came in early today and parked the car near the hotel so that I can go out to Beltsville tomorrow and check our tests. We certainly hope that we can get plenty of material Monday & the early part of the week so that we can finish the present tests. So far, the chlorpicrin looks pretty good & I hope that it will continue to show promise. The Army would like to use it.

February 21, 1942

February 21, 1942

Last night I went home with BM and Claudelle. He expects to leave tonight or tomorrow for Gulfport and will spend a week or more down there with R.A. He & Claudelle are OK and are so interested in each other, that I feel it would be better if I were not there. But they don’t seem to mind my presence at all.

The living material I have been sending to Bushland seems to be getting along first rate at Orlando. He seems very enthusiastic about the work. I get an airmail letter from him every few days.

The enclosures were interesting and I have taken care of them. I gave my address as Box 491 Orlando which is the office address.

What would you think of Henry going to Orlando. Can get him raised from 80 to 100 per mo. He has his faults, but is a willing worker & may be of more help where we have a larger station. I have not said anything to anyone about it yet and may wait until I return to D.C.

With love,
Walter.

February 19, 1942

Thursday Night 2/19

My dear Ina & Boys,

One print of each of the photos is enclosed. I am having three of each printed and I plan to give Claudelle and BM one set, and a couple of prints of Tommy to the Cushings. You may want some of them enlarged, if so we can select and have them made at DC or Orlando.

February 19, 1942

February 19, 1942

The tests here are encouraging but I cannot bring them to a close just yet. With luck we should be able to complete them in another week. Perhaps I can be at home next week end. If the money becomes available for the new work I may leave this part for some one else & come back to get things started at Orlando.

I leave from the Bureau in the morning for Beltsville. Mr. Lata goes with me. I see very little of the Bureau people except a few min. in the morning and sometimes in the P.M.

Yesterday I sent you a box of Martha Washingtons. No, I do not have a guilty conscience. My behavior has been most excellent, if I do say so myself.

With love and looking forward to seeing you soon.

Walter.

February 17, 1942

Tuesday Night 2/17.

My dear Sweetheart & Boys,

Saturday noon I ate a dinner with Claudelle & BM down town, and then went home with them over Sunday. I went to the office from there Monday AM. Mr. Cushing came over Sun. night for chili but Deniza was too tired. She works at night at the War Dept. We had a quiet day and light visiting.

February 17, 1942

February 17, 1942

Monday & today Mr. Lata and I had some fumigations to keep us busy and there is enough for tomorrow too. It seems to be going OK but we cannot check results until the hatching takes place. I have been sending material to Bushland and he writes that the laboratory colonies are being established OK.

It looks as though the money on the first project will come through in a few days. A voucher was sent over and as I understand it, a check is to be returned to the Bureau. The other project is late, and it may be a month before it comes through. I think we have the personnel lined up and things are under way to transfer some assistants on short notice.

Mrs. W.V. King passed away on Sat. PM and is being buried at Shreveport, her home town. I have had no word of any kind from Dr. King.

I am enclosing a clipping that Claudelle gave me. I believe you knew Ardie Shaw at Charleston.

The valentines were appreciated very much and I want to thank all three of the boys and their mother.

With love
Walter.

February 12, 1942

Bellevue Hotel Feb. 12, 1914 (sic)

My dear Sweetheart,

By the time this reaches you it will be Valentine’s Day and I’ll have to get the candy when I come home, because I did not get it today. For the past 3 days I have had some luck in getting material. Two lots have been sent to Mr. Bushand at Orlando so that he can breed up a supply for tests. I have some other material tonight and if I get some more tomorrow I’ll send it down by Air Express tomorrow night. It arrives there about noon of the following day. For the tests I am getting some material now but it is not enough. It looks like we will have to rear it and ship it here for the fumigation tests.

February 12, 1942

February 12, 1942

I saw BM this AM and I talked to Claudelle tonight. Will try to see her in a day or so. On my return I think I’ll come to DC first and then drive to Orlando. Just how soon I cannot tell, but as soon as I can.

With love,
Walter.

You did just right about WW foot operation.

February 4, 1942

Wednesday Feb. 4

My dear Sweetheart & Boys,

It was great to get two letters from home, so I’m sending another one. It seems ages since I left but it was just one week ago this AM that I arrived here.

February 4, 1942

February 4, 1942

Cushing came back on Monday AM and I was glad to see him. He is very helpful on this program, even if I have not yet made any fumigation tests. My first cooperators did not come through because of the effect of the gas on the equipment and the possible danger of releasing it in the city. The quantities are small but it is a tear gas. Arrangements have been made to do the tests at Beltsville where I can borrow from three different places. I borrowed a car from a third office today, and I’ll get it tomorrow. Yesterday I purchased 24 suits of underwear for prisoners of the District jail. They will be exchanged to individuals for ones that I can fumigate.

Annand & Bishopp are at the Memphis meetings, also Prof. Harned at his own expense.

Talked with Hoyt this PM. I called upon him for a little visit. He does not seem like the same one to me. Like the others (Rohner and Spencer) he is strictly in line with Annand & without regard to Strong or the past. I’m disappointed in him, but of course I did not try to draw him out or to ask for anything. A friendly visit regarding the dog fly control & the present work, then he suggested a young man from Colorado for the new work. Wakeland is here and sent word that he wanted to see me. I’ll see him tomorrow and I’ll guess that he mentions the same man. Also Cushing & I are calling on Major Stone tomorrow AM to get some gas masks, & for a conference.

Every division of the Bureau is getting a cut except Man & Animals & it is getting two new projects amounting to $94,000 on defense. Also the dog fly control program is coming back to the Bureau. I am to talk to the Biological Society of Washington on Sat. eve. 8 PM for 35 min. on “dog fly control in N.W. Fla.”

There will be no money for control of salt marsh mosquitoes & sand flies & Dr. Williams is returning to malaria in the USPHS.

With love
Walter.

Sent Kodak pictures last night. New ones not yet developed.

Late September, 1941

These photos show state-of-the-art insect control in late 1941. Walter and his USDA colleagues had discovered that the dog flies (Stomoxys calcitrans) infesting the Panama City, FL area bred in decaying organic matter along the area’s beaches. To get rid of the flies, the team loaded barges with oil and creosote, then mixed the two petroleum products and sprayed them on the beaches and marsh grasses all along the shore. This sounds completely horrifying by modern environmental standards – the resulting oil slick must have extended for miles – but these were the tools available at the time.

Late September 1941

Late September 1941

June 15, 1940

Friday night [Wrong day again, I think.]

Dear Sweetheart,

Am enclosing the pictures with negatives. The little girl’s mother may wish to borrow the negatives of LD & the little girl, or you may care to give her prints showing the little girl.

June 16, 1940

June 16, 1940

Thompson & I arrived today & we have requisitions for 51 cars of creosote oil, which will be ordered shipped when Mr. Gaddis arrives tomorrow.

I wish I knew what the Chief has in mind as to the leeway I’ll have on research. If plenty of latitude I know I can get the kind of research that is needed, but if this is not given I doubt if we will stay with it long. I don’t intend to camouflage Bishopp’s weaknesses as we have always done.

I feel that I have accomplished something this season & will get something done here. I don’t believe the Denver set up can handle a hot program, even after the help they have had this season. Yet the ‘hopper program seems definitely on the down grade, and it looks as though it will be a question of dropping men now employed on it. At least 75% could be dropped by the end of this season.

Will wait until I see you before planning to ship furniture from Mpls. Could take bids before July 1, but this appears as though we are anxious to move & I do not wish to show anxiety until I know more.

With love,
Walter.

March 18, 1938

707 Thorpe Bldg
Friday Night

My Dear Ina & Boys,

I am enclosing two salary checks also a check from Miss Anderson for $20 on a loan. Please deposit them. They are endorsed for deposit and the book is enclosed. I wish you would keep the pass book with you.

March 18, 1938

March 18, 1938

We bought 1650 tons of milled bran yesterday and we expect to get some shipments moving next week when the traffic man and the rate man join our office.

I am expecting Mr. Gaddis tomorrow morning and he will be with me for a few days at least. He and Roberts met some state men at Billings yesterday. Our men are beginning to report for duty. Mr. Miller started at College Sta. yesterday when the conference was held there.

Stillwater conference tomorrow and Brookings 3/21. Things are starting OK considering the new office and everything.

With love
Walter

This grasshopper control campaign grew out of the prairie states’ apocalyptic experiences with Rocky Mountain locusts (Melanoplus spretus) in the late 19th century. After M. spretus’s mysterious dissappearance, other species of grasshoppers partially filled its niche, forming large swarms across the region periodically. Walter’s new job is to prevent the next one of these swarms. To do that, the USDA is mixing bran with one of the few insecticides available at the time, probably an arsenic compound. They’ll spread this poisoned bait on the soil to kill the emerging grasshopper nymphs before the growing season. The 1,650 tons of bran Walter mentions here hints at the scale of this operation.