Elm Spray Switch Scheduled By City

Ann Arbor win switch trom DDT to the less toxic methoxylor in its Dutch elm disease control program. The only question remaining ananswered following last light's City Council meeting is iow extensive the spray program will be. Unanimous approval was givsn a resolution of intent to change to methoxychlor, to use tielicopters in its application and to spray all elm trees in the city whether they are on public or private property. The council reverted to the less restrictive resolution of intent mainly because the city attorney's office had not had an opportunity to check into the legality of the city spraying privately-owned elms. City Attorney Peter W. For sythe said he was not so much concerned with the possible is sue of trespass as he was with the question of the city's liability if ttie siding on a home is Istainvl. kl parV. Department Supt. S jVchMdon --ui ggid methoxy amed in the suit have already made the switch to methoxyhor, and Ann Arbor is on the verge of joining them. No councilmen last night deended the use of DDT. The use of methoxychlor, Sproull said, will increase the cost of the city's control program by more than $6,000. If ;he city decides to spray all elms in the city, the cost of the program would more than tri)le. Sproull estimates there are ,000 city-owned elms and about 2,000 privately-owned elms in the city. If DDT were used this year, the cost would be about 511,340. Fourth W a r d Councilman Robert F. Jagitsch supported the proposal, stating that hopefully the city will be able to control the disease until a better method of control is developed. Douglas J. Fulton, chairman of the ad hoc committee and also chairman of the Committee on Natural Resources, pointed to "promising programs" now under way which may lead to better control of the disease. "One is the use of the European wasp which preys on the beetle and the larva of the beetle," Fulton said. He added that the wasp is apparently keeping incidents of the disease "way down" where it is being used on an experimental basis. Asked if the wasp itself could b e c o m e a pest, Fulton said "no," adding that the wasp goes when the beatle goes. On the question of spraying all elms in the city, Second Ward Councilman Douglas D. Crary said that unless this is done the city's program will prove fruitless. "D o i n g only part of it is a waste of time." Sproull said the spray program could get under way when the temperature goes above 40 degrees, adding that he would like to start early in April. The councilis expected to take final action next week after receiving a report from the attorney's office.