The Grenada sentinel., 1882-08-19
SOUTHERN GLEANINGS.
Some Timely Hints on the Cotton Worm
A. %Lo oo{tou ,rzory,, hoe lotolu an

1
Some Timely Hints on the Cotton Worm
| As the cotton worm has lately ap
peared in various localities, the followin.
extract from Prof. Riley's letter relative to
its probable ravages in overfowed districts.
published in May last, will be read with In
terest by planters generally:
The idea of first Importance is, that tn
poison be applied to the under surfaces of tf ,
foliage, where the young worms start an
| grow until large enough to eat through u
leaf and become destructive, where the pois. ]
will remain on and not be washed off by dew
| or each shower of rain. To devise the me
chanical means of accomplishing this on O
| large scale, or in rapid manner. was tn G
| more battling under the conditions that com
| plexity and much expense must he avoided
| But all the difficult points have been over
| come by contrivances which are beautifully
| simple and practical, and 1t is to be regretted
| that they probably can not be put on the mar
ket before next season; henceit would not be
| worth while did space permit 1t in letter
like this, to enter upon detailed description
| of the improved machinery referred to.
The only desirable poisons that Will be OBJ
tainable in great quantities by the planters
| are the various arsenical preparations, ana
foremost among these Paris green and Lon.
! don purple. BY the ordinary method
| of sprinking poison from water.pots
| pumps, about forty gallons of water CON
tanning one pound of Paris green or two -fifths
of apound of London purple, kept well mixed
by stirring or shaking, may be applied to the
acre. When u bellows atonizer Is used to
diffuse 1t more finely and more thoroughly,
which is much preferable, less than half that
quantity of poison and water to the acre Will
give equally good results In sitting on dry
poison by such sifters as are usually en-
ployed. one pound of the Paris green to 80
pounds of such mixture of flour and ashes, or
one pound of London purple to AZ pounds OF
such mixture are proper, proportions to use.
The -four is adhesive, holding the poison fast
to the leaves, ana coatingithe poisons so chat
they come less in contact with the surfaces OF
the plant. and hence 1t helps to pr event their
caustic action or burning of the leaves. The
ashes have a still greater ameliorative effect
In preventing the caustic action, and on this
account it is well to use as much as one-third
ashes to two-th1rds flour to form the mixture.
With this preparation the poison can not be
too thoroughly mixed. Better devices for
mingns these ehomogeneously with each 9th
er are still to be sought. The best now easily
prepared by the planter consists of barrel
with number of rods put through 1t end
wise, and great number of large spikes
driven through its sides to project far into
the cavity. The substances to be mixed are
put into the barrel through large hole,
which is then closed, while the barrel is hung
hours. 1t should be added that in case the
poisons recommended are in any instance not
obtainable, the pure arsenic or arseniGte Of soda
may be resorted to, since these have been
used to advantage, though not always with
the best satisfaction. Although these sub
stances are cheap, their caustic effect on the
plant is greater. The mixture now most
used consists of 20 grains of arsenlate of soda
and 200 grains of dextrine dissolved in one
gallon of cold water Four ounces of this
mixture to 40 gallons of water can be
spiinkled on each acre. The common ar
senic water, which every druggist knows how
the white arsenic (arsenious acid) and com
mon Carbonate of soda is cheaper than to
buy the arseniate, although the arseniate
method OF preparation involves less time and
pound of arsenic should be boiled in gallon
OF water until dissolved. The solution is per-
manent no stirring or shaking being neces-
sary to keep the poison mixed. One quart of
the solution to 40 gallons of water is used on
each acre. In applying poison with flowers,
much smaller quantity of the poison and its
dilutents will be sufficient. and when the
poison is blown onto the under surfaces the
adhesive element is no longer needed. Both
Paris green and London purple, when not
adulterated and where properly applied, have
always given satisfactory results. The latter
seems to act little slower than the Paris
green; perhaps because the worms do not eat
1t SO quickly, for they refuse to eat poisons
until they become very hungry, butit Is much
the cheapest and being q finer powder is sus- |
ceptible of much thinner distribution than
IL usually gets. IL very th1nly and evenly ap- |
piled it will be eaten sooner, and when used |
in due time will prove equally as effective as |
the Paris green. And it is likewise commend |
able to administer any poison whatever that |
Is to be used SO early as to destroy the worms |
before they reach destructive size, and |
before they appear on the upper sur |
faces of the leaves. Planters must be |
urged to watch carefully the under sur |
faces of the foliage throughout the cult. |
waiting season. The very young worms are |
less easily seen than the small spots of light |
made by their gnawing off little patches from |
the lower surfaces of the leaves As soon as,
and whenever the young ones have started,
apply the poison Immediately beneath the |
foliage. The plowman, or "weed-chopper,"
should be taught how to see the young worms,
and be carefully trained to find them. At the
same time he should have, hanging from his !
shoulder or plow, light bellows -atomizer
charged with poison ready for use. 1t must
always be remembered that the worms are at
work now, on certain plants in certain fields,
from March until winter; that the killing OF
one early insect may prevent thousands of
uture progeny and save hundreds of dollars.
In the wet country the early worm will prob.
ably be found first on the earlier cotton. on
he dryer sandy ridges or higher clay slopes,
)een the first ones noticed, and only observed
when they appear in very destructive mum.
>ers, may, to the less careful observer, first
.ome to view in either the same kinds OF
cuts" or in the wet Duckshot lands, upon
which they thrive especially well in the latter
)art OF the season.