Rachel Carson was born in rural Pennsylvania in 1907. She studied biology at the Pennsylvania college of women and later in the John Hopkins university from Maryland. After working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service she became a full time nature writer.
After writing three books about the world´s ocean she authored her most controversial book; "Silent Spring" on 1962. She was a pioneer about the global environmental movement. In the book indeed she wrote a critique for the U.S. government agencies politics of widespread the use of chemical pesticides. "Since the mid-1940s, over 200 basic chemicals have been created for use in killing insects, weeds, rodents, and other organisms described in the modern vernacular as 'pests'; and they are sold under several thousand different brand names... Can anyone believe it is possible to lay down such a barrage of poisons on the surface of the earth without making it unfit for all life?" Carson wrote.
The book quickly becomes a best seller but the agricultural companies were not happy and the began a campaign of discredit towards the figure of Carson. Even before publishing she was threatened with lawsuits and personal attacks to her by telling she was a "hysterical woman". Some of the industries behind those attacks were Monsanto, Velsicols, American Cyanamid supported by the Agricultural Department. But Monsanto was the one who attacked the most, along with the personal denigrations and the law suits threats it also published an aricle the same year of Silent Sping´s release named "The Desolate Year" as a parody of Carson´s investigation.
The article imagine a situation in which United States had to spend a whole year without pesticides and, according to the publish, this would be devastating from the agriculture because insects will claim the crops. "if man were to faithfully follow the teachings of Miss Carson, we would return to the Dark Ages and the insects and diseases and vermin would once again inherit the earth." Wrote a "scientist" in the Monsanto´s investigation.
By the information given above we can infer that Monsanto wrote a parody of the first chapter of Carson´s book in an attempt to disclaim her and her investigation.
I really hope the answer have helped you. Regards