The Russellville Democrat., 1882-08-17
THE COTTON WORM.
How It's Ravages May Be Pre-. vented and the Insect De- stroyed.

1 The New Orleans Times Demo- crat, of recent date, reproduces let.
 ter from Prof c. V. Riley, the emi- nent entomologist of the Department of Agriculture, in relation to the cot ton worm and how to prevent it's rayages. For the benefit of cotton growers in this section, we present a 1 portion of Prof, Riley's letter:
 The only desirable polsons that will be- obtainable in great quanti. ties by the planters are the various arsenical preparations, and foremost among these Paris Green and Lon don Purple.
 By the ordinary method of sprink- ling poison from water pots or in broadcast sprays from barrel pumps, about 40 gallons of water containing one pound of Paris green or two fifths of pound of London purple, kept well mixed by stirring or shaking, may be applied to the acre. When a bellows atomizer is used to dlffuse Fit more finely and more thoroughly, which is much preferable, less than half that quantity of poison and waterto the acre will give equally good results. In sitting on dry pois- on by such sifters as are usually em. fployed, one pound of the Paris green to 35 pounds of such mixture of flour and ashes, or one pound of London purple to 45 pounds of such mixture are proper proportions to use. The flour is adhesive, holding the poison fast to the leaves, and coating the i polson so that they come less in con
 tact with the surfaces of the plant, and hence it helps to prevent their fcaustic action and burning of the leaves. The ashes have q still great CT ameliorative effect in preventing the eaustic4 action, and on thls ac- count it is well to use as much as one third ashes to two thirds flour to form the mixture. With this prepa- ration the poison cannot be too thor oughly mixed, Better devices for mingling these homogeneous with each other are still to be sought. The best now easily prepared by the planter consists of barrel with number of rods put through it end
 wise, and q great number of large spikes driven through it's side 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 upon an axis and TO- tated for two or three hours.
 ! It should be added that in case the poisons recommended are Ill any instance not obtainable, the pure arsenic or arseniate of soda may be resorted to, since these have been used to advantage, though not al ways with the best satisfaction. Al though these substances are cheap, their eaustic effect on the plant is greater. The mixture now most used consists of 20 grains of arseni- ate of soda and 200 grains of dex- urine dissolved in one gallon of wa ter. Four ounces of this mixture to 40 gallons of water can be sprinkled on each acre. The common arsenlc water, which every druggist knows how to make, will answer well. To make it from the white arsenic (arsenious acid) and common bak ing (carbonate of) soda IS cheaper than to buy the arseniate, although the arseniate method of preparation involves less time and labor One fifth of a pound of sal soda to a pound of arsenic should be boiled Tn a gallon of water until dissolved. Tue solution is permanent, no stir ring or shaking being necessary to keep the poison mixed. One quart oi the solution to 10 gallons of water is used uu each acre. In applying poison with Blowers, much smaller quantity of the poison and it's dilut ents. will Jog sufficient, and when the poison is blown into the under sur faces tho adhesive element is no longer needed.
 Both Paris green and London pur- pie, when not adulterated and where properly applied. have always given satisfactory results. The latter seems to act q little slower than the Paris green; perhaps because the worms do not eat it 50 quickly, for they re- fuse to eat poison until they are very hungry, but it is much the cheapest, and being q finer powder is suscep- tible of a much thinner distrlbution than it usually gets. If very thinly and. evenly applied 1t will be eaten sooner, and when used in due time will prove equally as effective as the Paris green. And it is likewise commendable to administer any poi sons, whether, that is to be used, so early as to destroy the worms before they reach destructive size, and be fore they appear on the upper sur faces of the leaves Planters must be urged to watch carefully the un. der surfaces of the foliage through out the cultivating season The very young worms are less easily seen than the small spots of light color made by their gnawing of lit tie patches from the lower surfaces of the leaves As soon us, and when