Huntsville gazette., 1882-08-19
SOUTHERN GLEANINGS.


some Timely Hints on the Cotton Worm.
AS the cotton worm has lately APP
peared in various localities, the following
extract from Prof. Riley's letter relative to
It's probable ravages in oyerflowed districts,
published in May last, will be read with in
terest by planters generally:
The idea of first Importance. is that the
POISON pc applied to the under surfaces of the
loliage, where the Young worms start and
grow until large enough to eat through the
leai ana become destructive, where the poison
viii remain on and not be washed off by dew
or each shower OF rain. To devise the me-
chanical means of accomplishing this on
large scale, or in a rapid manner was til g
nsbrs spafh1ng under the conditions that com
pieXlty ana much expense must be avoided
But all the difficult points have been over
come by contrivances which are beautifully
simple and practical, and it is to be regretted
that they probably can not be put on the mar
ket before next season; hence it would not be
worth while, did space perm it in a letter
IKE thls 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, and
foremost among these Paris green and Lon.
don purple. By the ordinary method
of sprinkIing poison from water pots
or in broadcast sprays from barrel
pumps, about forty gallons of water CON
of pound of London purple, kept well mixed
by stirring Or shaking, may be applied to the
acre. When bellows atomZer is used to
dltfuSe it 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 So
pounds of such mixture of flour and ashes or
one pound of London purple to Al pounds OF
such mixture, are proper proportions to use.
il iyn q a
to the leaves, ana coating the poisOns so that
they come less in contact with the surfaces OF
the plant, and hence it helps to p event their
caustlc action or burning of the leaves. The
ashes have a still greater amelorative effect
in preventing the cauStic action, and on this
account it is well to use as much as one-thlrI
ashes to two thirds flour to form the mixture.
With this preparation the poison can not be
too thoroughly mixed. Better devices Tor
mingl ng these ehomogeneOusly with each 9TH
er are still to be sought. The best now easily
prepared by the planter consists of a barrel
with a number of rods put through it end
wise, and a 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 a large hole,
which is then closed, while the barrel is hung
upon an axis and rotated for two or three
hours. 1t should be added that in case the
poisons recommended are in any instance not
obtainable, the pure arsenic or Grseniate Of soda
may be resortod 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 arseniate 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
splinkled on each acre. The common ar
senic water, which every druggist knows how
to make, will answer well. To make it from
the white arsenic [arsenious acidD and COM
mon carbonate of soda is cheaper than to
buy the arseniate. although the arseniate
method of preparation involves less time and
labor. One-fitth OF pound OF sal soda to
pound of arsenic should be boiled in gallon
of water until dissolved. The solution is per-
mauent 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, a
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
aduterated and where properly applied, have
always given satisfactory results. The latter
seems to act a little slower than the Paris
green; perhaps because the worms do not eat
it so quickly, for they refuse to eat poisons
until they become very hungry, butit IS much
the cheapest and being a finer powder is sus-
ceptible of much thinner distribution than
it usually gets. If very thinly and evenly APP
piled it will be eaten sooner, and when used
in due time will prove equally as effective as
able to administer any poison whatever that
is to be used 50 early as to destroy the worms
before they reacn destructive size, anu
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 "a.
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 atomlZer
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
future progeny and save hundreds of dollars.
In the wet country the early worm will prob
ably be found first on the earlier cotton, on
the dryer sandy ridges or higher clay slopes,
while the later worms, which have generally
been the first ones noticed, and only observed
when they appear in very destructive num-
bers may, to the less careful observer, first
come to view in either the same kinds OF
''cuts" or in the wet buckshot lands, upon
which they thrive especially well in the latter
part of the season.