Warning Given On Unethical Termite Control Operators "Worse than usual” is the tag put on the number of fraudulent ter mite exterminators in Virginia this spring. John M. Amos, insect control specialist at VPI, says many home owners throughout the state ,are re porting "questionable practices” in the termite extermination business. There are many reliable operators in Virginia, Amos says, and it pays to check on the operator you intend to hire. Termites work slowly, and you have time to check the extermin ator's reputation before you hire him. A delay of a few weeks, or even months, will make little dif ference. Amos says the VPI Agricultural Extension Service is cooperating with the Virginia State Pest Con trol Operators’ Association, and Better Business Bureaus, regarding the reliability of persons who so- i licit work in termite control. If you will contact any one of the three organizations, they will be glad to help. Here are some tips on how you can guage the reliability of persons offering termite control service: If you ai-e told that termites will soon ruin or cause your house to' collapse, you can definitely list the firm as questionable. Firms which -harge according to the amount of chemical used likewise are ques tionable. Any good termite operator can estimate the cost just as a car-1 peuter can estimate the cost of a repair job. A reliable pest control operator should have established headquar ters and a dependable local reputa tion. Investigate this qualification Do not depend on guarantees. Most of them are worthless Rather, de pend on the reputation of the oper- i ator. Do not consider price the criterion of a good job. Most cheap things are really cheap and you rarely get a bargain for little or no money, Amos says. Back in thfl 1920’s it was con sidered great sport to go up in bal loons. It still is. But in addition, balloons now play an important par' in the training of Naval airship pi lots. They are used to develop the pilot’s ability to bring his airship to a safe landing, since in the event of engine failure the airship's per formance is similar to that of a floating balloon.

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