The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-01-09
Protection Against -COttOn"In"
I'd. .~-- SeCtSs

hundred and seventy different. counties
in the cotton-groWing States, Alabams
and1sTeXas being represented by the
most numerous and complete state.
ments. Of these, one hundred reported
that no experiments with Paris green, Oh
arsenical preparations, had been tried
many were from counties in which little
cotton is W. grown, and others were
from counties where the worms have
never appeared.
/. Efficacy of Paris green.-Of the
seventy returns reporting actual expert
ment a large proportion, at least four
fifths of all, declare the success, either
full or partial, of the application Ofmix-
ures of Paris green Or other arsenical
compounds, when they are properly ap-
piled. Some are content with the sim
Pile declaration that it is an etfectual
remedy. Where it is most generally
used it is most approved. In New iberia,
La, where a machine that will powder
Is to IS acres per day is in use, it is said
that fifty planters have found it success
full. In Wilkinson, Miss, where a sim
pie compound of Paris green and flour
was used, Grows treated with the com
pound were healthy and vigorous, while
neglected rows beside them were des-
trOyed." In Landry, Texas, One appli-
cation of Paris green in solution result
ed in ten additional bales in a field of
IS acres, Over the rate of production
in other fields where none was used"
A similar result is reported from Mont
gomery, Texas, by the use OF Paris
green mixed with lime or plaster, or
even fine sand, where a "neigbOr has
picked already ten bales of 500 pounds
each from ID acres, while freed
men on the salne farm lost their whole
crop by refusing to use it." The cor
respondent in Worth County, Ga, de-
clares it was death to everything that
eats the leaves that have been sprink-
led" Some correspondents enjOin the
necessity of repeated applications to
meet the appearance of successive
brOOds OF worms, as enough is left after
the most careful application to perpet-
uate the noxiOus C
In some eases, caution is suggested
not to make the application after the
GUS to picker and ginner." In the
cases of failure mentioned there APP
pears no evidence that the application
was properly and persistently made,
and with a pure article of Paris green.
In some cases where it killed both
worms and plants, it is very evident
that the proportion of Paris green was
too large Or applied too heavily.
C0nclusiOns.-From the answers to
the various questions above quoted, the
following is a summary Of cOnclu-
The use of Paris green, when pure
and unauthorized, mixed with -four i'll
the proportion Of 1 part of Paris green
to IS to 80 parts Of -four, is of utility,
and in many cases has saved the crops
that in many instances where the Paris
green has failed it has been attributed
to improper use or using a spurious
article. Paris green ~Or arsenic, also
used with water and sprinkled over the
has been used with good effect,
but to be of any avail the water must
be we'll mixed up and stirred at the
Of using it, as the Paris green or
arsenic is partially soluable in water,
and requires to be thoroughly dissent
mated throughout the water, to be de-
as a slight coating of poisonous
powder on the leaves to be of any avail.
When Paris green or %arsenical com
pounds are used great care must be
taken not to make the mixture too
Or they will kill or injure the
leaves and plants. When used as a
powder busted Over the plants, the
plants must be wet in order to make
the powder adhere to the leaves. Rains
will wash the mixture away from the
and it will have to be renewed
after heavy showers. Some glutinous
or sticky substance may be used with
Paris green and -four in order to cause
it to adhere to the leaves, but it is not
necessary. Sour or spoiled flour will
as we'll as the best !; plaster,
ashes, and even dust have, in some cases,
been substited for the -four, but has not
answered the purpose as we'll as the
-four. Applying the Paris green on the
irst, appearance of the caterpillars is
recommended, and as soon as possible
after the second crop of worms appears
on the plants also. No notice has been
taken of patent insect-destroyers, as
patentees claim a private and ex-
right to use them. Only a very
few cases OF injury to man OF beast have
have been observed, and ever some of
those cases are not well S~ubstantiated
by proof. 1t, however, would be well
to caution persons using this poison to
be on the .windward side when busting
sh0wering it On the plants, andnOt to
LIU oUOSh Ia w ACCu upOl UI1C lUlIIRCs
The prejudice of the negroes against
moved. The application of Paris green
not strong enough to injure the cotton
will kill the b~eggars-lice weed in the
rows. r. .
One or two of the favorable accounts
Of the success of Paris green in certain
localities must be considered, however,
as occurring In the same neighborfoods
where the worms mysteriOusly disap-
Deared in neighboring fields quithout the
aid of the poison. Fires are said by
some planters to be OF use in attracting
and destroying the moth or miller, and
by others to be Injurious, as attracting
moths from neighboring plantations
Ind it has been observed that the cotton
las been very much attacked immedi-
stely around such fires a~fterWard, as if
HE moths had been attracted by the
ire and deposited their eggsin the vicin-
ty.. Torches are of no avail unless gen
srally used by all the planters in O
1~eighbOrhood, except when placed over
or dishes containing some sub
and into which they fall. Great
have been made by planters |
tbOut the indiscriminate destruction of
nsectivorous birds, which ought to be !
by law, as they are exceed
ngly useful in destroying the cotton
Some planters used saltwater in the |
proportion of a gill to a bucket-full, and
ihought they experienced beneficial re-
'ults from its use, while others pl0ughed
between the rows with pine brush fas- |
ened to the single-tree in order to
weep off the caterpillars from the plants
nto the ground, where they are either
under the earth or seorched to |
ieath before they are ableto raascend the
plants. k~erosene-Qil, cresylic soap, and