The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1880-05-12
COTTON INSECTS.
Compiled from Prof Ruey's Report By Prof
Joaes, Mississippi University.
MECHANICAL MEANS OF KILLING TIE
WORMS

Compiled from Prof. Ruey's Report by Prof
JoHes, Mississippi University.
MECHANICAL MEANS OF KILLING TIE
WORMS
During very hot, clear weather, much
good may be accomplished by knocking
down or brushing the worms from the
plants upon the ground and crushing or
killing them IN various ways One Of the
best methods Of doing this j. in the words
of DIR. j. ID. Hoyt, OF Livingston, Ala, "to
drag something ike a piece of cotton bag
ging along over the rows of cotton, forward
and back which may be long enough TO eX-
tend across several rows and short lines at .
tached to one edge, a little further apart
than the width OF Of the rows, and a hand
at each line, and all abreast pass along
between the rows and then back when the
brushing and shaking Of the stalks by the
bagging will clear the cotton mostly Of the .
worms. In this way, set of hands can 20
over their crop in a day or two when they
should return to the beginning and 20 over
again; and continue 50 doing rs long a~ any
number of worms are found on the stalks.
A number of machines have been invent
ed TO expedite these mechanical means OF /
destroying the Colorado potatO-bee and
other leaf-teediug insects, and a few of SINH
lar character have been especially contrived
for the cotton worm. They viii hardly come
into general use for the simple reason that, .
more expensive and less satisfactory than
the method Of poisoning. But As many per-
sons are. opposed to the use Of poisons and
prefer to resort to other modes Of destruc-
ton, even when more expensive, we shall
mention the more useful ones
/. The Ewing Brushing-machine, by VIM.
Ewing of Columbia La
. Helm Brushing by /. Helm,
uochheim, Texas.
3. Wood-Smith machine, by G.. w. Wood
and Charles II. Smith, of Faribault, MINI.
4. Iske Brushing machine, by Anthony
Iske of Lancaster Pa.
KEROSENE OIL.
If shallow pans containing Kerosene oil
be drawn along the rows on the ground as
the cotton Is shaken the worms will fall into
the oil, the least touch of which IS certain
death to them.
The poisonous effects of Kerosene oil could
be usefully applied by mixing it with water
or some other diluent, and sprinkIing the
liquid on the worms and plants, but for the
fact that the Kerosene is poisonous to the
cotton leaves.
There is some hope that a means may be .
devised by which to apply the oil ina yapor .
by steam so as to destroy the worms and yet
not seriously injure the plant.
Mr. c. w. Powe1, Of Halifax county,
Virginia, obtained a patent for mixture
Of half pint kerosene oil to one quart Of fine, +
dry, well-sifted ashes This, he says, will .
drive off, or destroy all insect without in
juring the plant; it is applied by scattering
or sprinkling slightly over the leaves.
POISONING THE WORMS.
With the introduction of mineral poisons
for the destruction Of the worms new inn
petus was given to the invention of
machines and cOntrivances for the applica- /
ton of these poisons either As powder or i'll
water. The large number of such inyen- !
tons made during the past six years, and (
the activity still displayed in adding I'M
provements, furnish evidence that this pOls-
oning of the worms has so far proved most
satisfactory in protecting the crop. The |
fact is that judcious and timely applica-
ton of the best poison will always even
lnder unfavorable conditions and in bad
"worm years" enable the energetic planter
to save at least the larger portion of his /
crop. There Is no question but that con-
certed action in the application of poisons
early IN the season, III those counties IN
which the worms first appear, would not
only efectually protect the crop in those
counties at comparatively little cost and
labor, but also prevent, or at rate retard. .
the spread and migration of the moths into /
the rest of the cotton belt. There is little /
hope, however, of any such concert of &C 4
lion in the larger part of the cotton-growing
country to-day, because where there Is one
planter who superintends the cultivation OF
his own land and is alive TO the importance .
of such work, there are many cotton farms
either rented or owned by freedmen who .
are usually ignorant and shittless and .
with whom intelligent cooperation is I
almost, if not quite, impossible. Each
planter, must, Therefore, depend on his own
efforts, and 1t Is 4 satisfaction to know that
these may be successful Notwithstanding
more careless neighbors.
There are certain general principles
which | would here insist on that should
govern the use of these poisons 1t is very
evident from the habits of the worms, rs
already detailed, that such poisons will
prove most satisfactory if applied TO the
under side Of the leaves when the worms
first begin to appear in numbers. While
poisons in solution can be applied at any
time of the day during dry weather, those
in powder are most advantageously applied
in the early morning hours while yet the I
plants are moist with dew The greater
adhesiYeness given to the poison the better.
Those used in powder form naturally
the most etiectural In rainy weather, during
!
iniurious. These dry poisons have further.
the advantage for the small planter that
they can be used with less extensive and ex- I
pensive apparatus and with less labor than
those in solution. Finally, too much stress
cannot be laid on the Importance of having'
the materials ready prepared in advance, or
on their use as soon as the eggs or young ,
worms are noticed. 1t is too often the habit
TO wait until the plants begin to be ragged"
before attempting TO poison. The opera
ton is always more costly and unsatisfac~
tory at this period, and there is danger that, ,,
with the most strenuous efforts, irreparable ,
damage will be done before all the cotton is
gone over. 1t often happens also, since the :
same influences cause the multiplication of
the worms over pretty large areas, that :
sudden and general demand for the poisons :
by those who have not previously laid in a
stock increases the price or exhausts the ]
market, 50 that many are left without hope :
of saving their crop.
ARsENICAL COMPOUNDS. {
Arsenical compounds have the acknowL
edged disadvantage of being dangeros to man
and beast. Some writers, taking q most
narrow and theoretical view of the subject, c
bitterly object to their use on the score of +
their dangerous character, exaggerating in I
their enthusiasm the injury that has result '
ed from their use. Not only hundreds of t
tons but thousands of tons of these mineral a
poisons have Deen employed during the past '
decade by farmers throughout the country, '
whether to protect the potato crop or the Q
cotton crop or other products of the soil q
from the ruinous attacks of insects The t
general experience during that long period g
and over the whole country is so emphati- t
calfy in favor of their use and their perfect 4
safety and harmlessness with ordinary pre- $
cautions. as to render almost laughable the I
objections Of the few persons referred to-
No advancement, no improvement, no gen.
eral benefit to the human race, is ever ac-
complished without some attendant danger, {