The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-11-28
FARM AND GARDEN.
Use of Mineral Poison by Farmers.

Use of Mineral Poison by Farmers.
We have carefully abstained from recon-
mending the use Of Paris green and other
deadly poisons for the destruction of insects
on account Of the great danger attending
their USE We are glad TO see that the sub
.ject was deemed Of sufficient Importance, in
the late Scientific Convention in Philadel.
phis, to be made the subject of a special pa
per and of discussion, of which we find re-
port in the Tribune. Tie paper is by John
l.. LIE Conte, N. D., and 10 as follows:
ut is the practice OF the Academy, under
the charter granted by Congress, to investi-
gate scientific subjects referred to II BY any
department Of the government. 1t is also the
duty Of the members OF the Academy to give
to their fellOw-citizens such sslusary warn
lngs - seem to DO necessary to protect them
against injurious practices introduced under
the garb Of science. With this idea call ~
tention 70 the extensive use OF rasis or
6chweinfurth green for destroying insects In
furious to agriculture. Paris green is mix
ture Of arsenite aud acetate Of copper, ana IN
the result of certain empirical experiments
has been recommended as destructive to the
Colorad, potato beetle, and, in tact, As q uni
yersal remedy against injurious insects which
appear in n, asses. Now arsenic and copper
are posons which act with equal energy up
on plants and animals. The material, though
diffused upon the leaves of the plants to be
protected, which are incapable of absorbing
it, is speedily carried into the soil, and if
used annually 1t is merely matter of time
how many years will elapse before the soil Is
poisoAed 80 as to prevent the growth of all
vegetation. The chemical possibilities which
may result in the poisoning of the vegetation
raised from the soil l will leave to be devel
oped by my colleagues. | solemnly protest
against the loose manner in which, on the
recommendation of persons who have observ
ed only the effects Of these poisons upon the
insect pests to which their attention has been
directed, most dangerous material has been
placed in the hands of large mass OF uned'
ucated men. The manufacture of this poison
has increased to fearful extent. friend
residing In one of the great agricultural cen
tres of the West, writes that the druggists OF
his town order 1t by the ton. The ravages OF
the Colorado potato beetle, which has been
the chief cause of the use Of Paris green III
agriculture, commenced in the West many
years ago, and its extension at regular rate
was a prediction which has been verified al
most to ayear. Now twas within the power OF
the government, through aproperly organized
Scientific Bureau for the protection of agiS
culture, to have the subject Investigated by a
commission and recommend proper meas
ures to be adopted. Tue use of metallic poi.
sons would not be one Of them, but human
labor, properly compensated and intelligent
ly employed, might have been one Of the
agents employed to avert national calamity
such as has come upon u.s."
An interesting discussion followed the
reading of this paper, All the members VINO
took part in it approved DR.. LIE Conte's views
as to the danger Of using Paris green. Prof.
Silliman had heard of several ins,a nces OF
loco of human 1,fa from corplecSppcS in itS
use for killing cockroaches. Prof. Alexan.
der said that there were we'll established
cases where its employment as colorlng
matter for wall paper had resulted in poison
ing persons who were affected after only
half an hour spent in the rooms huns with
such paper Dr. Mitchell referred to num-
Der of cases of poisoning by this substance.
1t might he that the soil in which it was
strewn impaired poisoning influence to
plants before refusing to yield its product,
and that the plants so affected acted inJuri-
ously upon the human system. DR.. lie Contc
sharply criticised the Agricultural Bureau at
Washington for failing to investigate this
subject. The use of strychnine in corn fields
to kill crows, was referred to by another
member, who thought that this most hides
tructlble Of poisons might affect the vegeta'
tiOn. Prof Sillir2an cited case in Massa-
chusetts where the fumes from copper
works injured the surrounding forests and
grass lands.
The discussion finally took wider range,
and embraced the rise of analyne dyes for
colored jellies and confectionery. II closed
with the adoption Of the following resolution,
on motion of Prof. Alexander,
Resolved, That committed be appointed
Is investigate and report upon the subject of
the use of poisons applied to vegetables or
otherwise for the destruction of delelerious
insects sad other animals, and also the incau.
tious use of poisons in the ornsmenlation of
articles of foxyd and for destructive purposes
generally, sucaj for instance, as the coloringo Of
paper.