The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-06-26
A Remedy for the Cotton Worm.
From the New York Tribune.l

A Remedy for the Cotton Worm.
From the New York Tribune.l
In an address delivered at st. Louis In June,
1872, | suggested that the Paris Green mixture
which was doing such good work in preserving
our potato fields against the attacks of the Col
oradO Potato Beetle might prove equally efficient
against the ravages of this insect which takes
the place OF this potato enemy in the cotton
fields OF the country. Having no opportunity
to experiment. ON the Cotton Worm, I~Anoayms
TyLtaa. say | tried the effect of the mixture on
several closely allied worms which occur in Mis-
souri,, and especially on the Fall Army-worm
(Prodenn ~a"t@nn0tiS, Riley in each with the
most satisfactory results. Feeling thus we'll
assured that the remedy would work benefcially
as an antidOte to the Cotton Worm, and might
prove of untold value to the people OF the South,
L took occasion to read an essay on that insect
at an agricultural meeting in Indianapolis, the
last OF May, 1873.
This means of appealing to the cotton-growers
OF the country had the desired effect. The eS-
say, giving directions for the proper use Of the
poison, together with the natural history of the
worm, was published either entire or in abstract
LII a large number OF agricultural journals which
circulate i'll the South. The remedy was, i'll con-
sequence, very thoroughly tried and generally
used, its merits being so fully discussed that
received over 100 articles on the subject which d
Southern editor kindly clipped for me from his
exchanges. Later in the season when expo
rience had settled many important points as to
the effect of the Paris Green on the Cotton
Worm and the best mode of usingit, the Depart
ment of Agriculture conceived the idea of send
ing out a circular to its cotton-growing cores
pondents. This circular, with numerous an
sWers, many of which are so indefinite 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 Report for
November and December, 1879. The general
conclusions which Mr.. Glover deduces from
them correspond, however, not only to the mass
OF testimony ELECTED by my oWn correspondence,
and found i'll the clippings above alluded to
but to the experience had of this insecticide in
the more Northern States.
Tho pan1ai- hoe rnc,-aT -aozA
wherever properly and intclligently used; i G.,
busted in proportion of one part of pure green
10 20 or rs parts OF flour; or sprinkled in proper
tlon or one tablespoonful of the green to a COM
mon Ducketfu OF water. Improved methods of
applying the poison have been devised, and con-
triVances for the more ~effectual and more safe
dtlst1ng OF plants, and machines for sprinkling
Dy horsepower, where the solution is employed,
nave been patented. The liquid has the advant-
age over the powder in that there is less danger
from injury in it's use, and that, on large scale,
1t may be applied by horsepower from a water
ing cart. 1t has three disadvantages: 1st. 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 i'll suspense by
continued stirring or agitation. I'd, 1t settles ia
spots on the leaves, the natural tendency of the
water in finding its level being to carry and con-
eentrate it wherever a drop finds rest and evap-
crates. 81. Too much is wasted on the ground
III the s~prinkling. 1 have therefore found 1t
much more convenient ON a small scale to use
the powder, where it can be obtained ready
mixed by machinery. Applied when the dew is
on the plants, it will adhere more uniformly,
and 1t 0bviates the necessity of carrying about
80 much water. Blu whether used in water or
as a powder the flour will prove q desirable adj
dltlon, since it renders the green more adhesive,
ana consequently more serviceable. This adhe-
slVe quality in the liquid may also be obtained
BY dissolving dextrtne or guIn-arabic or glue In
the waterfall, however, much more expensive
than fl0ur. Reports from those who have used
the remedy for the Cotton Worm, put the cost OF
the material at from 60 cents to 81 per acre, for
eacn appllcatlon-twO applications, and some
times more, being necessary to save the crop.
This remedy will, frem the different habit of the
insect, not prove of any great value against the
Its use should be abandoned, except
for extreme reasons, after the bolls open; 80 as
to prevent any injury that mightfollOW ginning
OF The poisoned cotton.
Although aware of the fact that sundry patents
Northern States for Paris Green in combination
with other ingredients, to kill potato beetles, [
was not aware that anything of the sort had
Deen done in the South till L received from O Mr..
Royal OF Texas a letter, accompanied with sew
era! circulars, containing references, etc., and
saying that he had patented q compound. and
was introducing it in all the cotton States. The
patent 1s numbered LII, 732, and the ingredients
OF TINS right royal mixture are. Paris Green, -four
OF elm or gum arabic, common -four, and pow
dered rosin. MI. Royal tells us that sit takes
from Is to 20 pounds of the material to an acre
OF cotton. For the second application upon the
new growth, about o%ne-third only of this guam
1t Is to be regretted that patents can be OBJ
tanned at all for remedies of this nature after
ty nave become generally known, and right
Iully Delong to the public. When the discover
er OF such a remedy does not see fit to patent it,
no one subsequently has a moral right to, what
ever speculative right he may possess. Eorttl-
naIefy, IN this case, the patentees cannot inter-
fere with the public rights, and it is to be hoped
tlat no planter, either of potatoes or cotton,
Willbe induced, by flaming circulars and threats,
70 pay even one cent per LOCO acres, much less
the demanded $40 per 100 acres, for the privilege
OF using these patented mixtures, The very fact
tnat so many patents have been granted for the
same purpose, all the mixtures having Paris
Green as 9 base, shows clearly that the patent
covers only the particular combination. BY
ringing the changes on the different proportions
OF the several ingredients, @ thousand Of these
patented remedies may be obtained and any
one VINO dIverged but q fraction from the par
ucular patented combination ceases to infringe
Tor the patentees to enforce the penalty for in
Engagement without proof that precisely tho
same ingredients and combination as pafented
were used, and to get such proof viii, I take II,
De no easy matter; Tor were it, we should hear
or hundreds OF thousands of prosecutions where
now we hear not of q single one.
Mr.. b. Z. ProJt of Demopolis, Ala, who is an
appfeclat1ye reader of The Tribune'B Agriolll-
tlral Department, and who has quite recently
lana anonymously published a little essay on
the best mode of using Paris green for the Cot
ton caterpillar found that the cost of material
per acre, fortwO applications, will not exceed
u 70, VIZ: 40 ID flour at d cents per 10. and rs
Pafls green at 37A cents per l6 and further, that
IN his own experience, an expenditure of Si0o on
ABOUT so acres increased the crop at least ten
and hope that in future the author will en-.
tirely drop the term Army Worm as applied
to this insect, because it IN reality applies 10
another species, and is not so appropriate as
Cotton Worm, " or Cotton CateTpiIlar.V-fC
v. Riley State Entomologist of Missouri.
4& AE E