The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-07-24
A Remedy for the Cotton Worm,
From the New York Tribune,I

Green mixture which was doing such
good work i'll preserving our potato
fields against the attacks of the Colorado
Potato Beetle might prove equally eff
clent against the ravages of this insect
which takes the place of this potato
enemy in the cotton fields of the coun-
try. Having no opportunity to expert
ment on the Cotton Worm, (An9Hynlt
TyliAd, Say | tried the effect Of the
mixture on several closely allied worms
which occur i'll Missouri, and especially
on the Fall Army-WOrm (PrOdeni0
Gntumndhs, Riley in each with the
most satisfactory results. Feeling thus
well assured that the remedy would
work beneficially as an antidote to the
Cotton Worm, and might prove of un-
told value to the people of the South,
took occasion to read al. essay on that
insect at an agricultural meeting in
indianapolis, the last of May, 1878.
This means of appealing to the cot
ton-grOwers Of the country had the de-
sized effect. The essay, giving direc-
lions for the proper use of the poison,
together with the natural history of the
worm, was published either entire or in
abstract in a large number of agricul-
tural journals which circulate in the
South. The remedy was, in consequence,
very thoroughly tried and generally
used, its merits being so fully discussed
that | received over 100 articles Oh the
subject which a Southern editor kindly
clipped for me from his exchanges.
Later in the season when experience
bad settled many important points as to
the effect of the Paris Green on the
Cotton Worm and the best mode of us
ing it, the Department Of Agriculture
conceived the idea of sending out a cir
cular to it's cotton growing correspOn-
dents. This circular, with numerous
answers, many Of which are so indeii-
mite in point Of detail as to be of no
value, or to convey wrong impressions,
and all of which lack signature and
date, was published in the Monthly Re-
port for November and December, 1878.
The general conclusions which Mr..
Glover deduceS from them correspond,
however, not only to the mass of testi-
mOny elected by my own cOrrespon-
dence, and found in the clippings aOov
alluded to; but to the experience had of
this insecticide in the more Northern
States.
The remedy has proved most salts
factory wherever properly and lntelli-
gently used; e., busted in proportion
of n part of pure green to 20 or IS
parts of flour; or sprinkled in proper
ton of one tablespoonful of the green
to a common bucketful of water. I'm
proved methods Of applying the poison
nave been devised, and c~OntTivances for
the more efectual and more safe dust
ing of plants, and machines for sprink-
ling by horsepower, where the solution
is employed, have been patented. The
liquid has the advantage over the pow
der in that there is less danger from
injury in its use, and that, on a large
scale, it may be applied by horsepower
from a watering cart. 1t has three dis
advantages: list. The green is not
soluble, for though it quickly gives a
green tint to the water, when stirred, it
soOn settles to the bottom unless kept
agitation. I'd. It settles in spots on the
leaves, the natural tendency Of the
water in finding it's level being to carry
and concentrate it wherever a drop
f 1ds rest and evaporates. Sd. Too much
is wasted on the ground i'll the sprink-
ling. | have therefore found it much
more convenient on a small scale to use
the powder, where 1t can be obtained
ready-mixed by machinery. Applied
when the dew is on the plants, it will
adhere more uniformly, and it obyiates |
the necessity of carrying about sosmuclrt
water. But whether used i'll water or
as a powder the flour will prove a de-
sirable addition, since it renders the
green more adhesive, ard consequently
more serviceable. This adhesive quail
ty in the liquid may also be OBJ aimed by
dissolving dextrine or gum-arabic or
glue in the waterfall, however, much
more expensive than -four. Reports
from those who have used the remedy
for the Cotton Worm, put the cost of
the material at from G8 cents to 81 per
acie, for each application, and some
times more, being necessary to save the
crop. This remedy will, from the
different habit of the insect, not prove
of any great value against the Boil
worm. Its use should be abandoned,
except for extreme reasons, after the
hollis open SO as to prevent any injury
that might follow ginning of the
poisoned cotton. - -.~
Although aware of the fact that. sun
dry patents had been taken out by per-
sons in the more Northern States for
Paris Green in combination with other
ingredients, to kill potato beetles, / was
not aware that anything of the sort had
been done in the South till I received
from a Mr.. Royal Of Texas a letter, &C
tanning references, etc., and saying that
he had patented a compound and was
introducing it in all the cotton States.
The patent is numbered liz, 7332, and
the ingredients of this right royal mix
ture are Paris Green, flour Of elm or
cum arabic, common -four, and DOW
Gered rosin. Mr.. Royal tells us EtlTat
" it takes from Is to, 20 pounds of the
material to an acre of cotton. For the
second application upon the new
growth, about one-third only of this
quantity is required
1t is to be regretted that patents can
be obtained at all for remedies of this
nature after they have become generally
known, and rightfully belong to the
When the ~discOverer of such q
remedy does nor see fit to patent it, no
one subsequently has a moral right to,
whatever speculative right; he may
possess. Fortunately, in this case, the
patentees cannot interfere with the pab-
lie rights, and it is to be hoped that no
planter, either of potatoes or cotton,
will be induced, by flaming circulars
and threats, to pay ven one cent per
/ 900 acres, much less the demanded $40
per 100 acres, for the privilege of using
these patented mixtures. The very
fact that SO many patents have been
granted for the same purpose, all the
mixtures having Paris Green as a base,
shows clearly that the patent covers on
" the particular combinations BY ring
the CHANGES on the, different pros
of the several ingredients, a
thousand of these patented remedies
may be obtained; and any one who
liverged but a fraction from the particu-
lar patented combination ceases to in=
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