Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1884-10-25
Electric L,se. IN the Cote"

The appearance of the cotton worm In
certain districts ~ the south during the past
I'VE should cay the current-snmmef,
brings up afresh the question as 10 the beet
and moet effectuai means of checking It's
rayages Prof Riley has rendered the cot
ton Interest vast service through the
medium. of his investigations lie has an-
alyed the character and habiis OF tile cater
pillar; shown us the secrets OF all Its differ.
cut eyolutions and pointed out the Nulnert-
bile places at which to make the attack
Yet Professor Riley has taught Us
one thing more clearly than any other
worm In It's butterfly stage Is most accessl'
bile and most readily destroyed. II Il true
that the worm sucenmbs to Paris green, but
is not 80 easy 20 reach when clinging 10
he under side OF leaf, nor Is the machine.
~ for the distribution and application Of
I ne poison NJ convenient aud economical ~
q ,uld be desired. our farmers have been
struggling with the antiquated apparatus
aud eumbrous appliances known to their cx'
perlence. and there IL no doubt they have
often saved their crops against desperate
odds. But the struggle lisa weary one, and
IL would be n boon to the entire cotton grow
inE Industry II SOME more accurate and eN
peditious means Of accomplishing The sam,
end could be devised.
way seems to be open, however. In i
new direction. Its efficacy Is prom ed Will
reasonably deiluite emphasis, bee tnsa |
pine knot fanbeaux are used % desire!
millions Of the butterflies, why shbnld no
the electric arc light. which Ia som1ch NOR,
brilliant and conspicuous, dcstr1, other an,
more numerous miiliOns3 We have scei
the merit Of the electric light ~ bug kille
very fairly tested here In New Orleans
We have seen thnt the light attracts insect
to degre hitherto unknown, aud that II pos
sesses mysterious and enormous powers o
DETERMINATION. The trouble has been 10 dis
pose of the dead. When the globes weri
III u placed upon the lcycc they used 10 &c
hiled chnrred corpses OF pinch-bugs. rOnchc
mosquitoes, aud a hundred varieties Of grn
q rue and repulsiyc specimens of iusec
Vie II became necessary 10 close the optl
sissce above the globe so as 10 prevent Dug
rom getting inside. Even then they were
slain IN myriads every night 81 thai lh'
ground for many feet around the post wa
bluck with them
Now, II the electric arc VIII work Ill thli
havoc, even when enclosed, upon such tough
and hardy reptiles rs we see lynx delu
every night beneath the lamps what would
be the effect Of an open electric are IN Il Got
ton field during the butterfly season. IN,
butterfly, or miller, Is helplessly fascinated
by n brilliant radiance; II Is q delicate crea
lure Of very slight vitality. The electric are
on the other hand, exefts prndigeous nttrac
tive force and possesses wholesale power
of destruction, which simply cannot be de
scribed. II strikes us that this Is II sugges
tive grouping aud injunction of conditions
which our farmers might very prohtably
take under consideration The electric
light seems 10 offer the most practicable aud
economical solution of the cotton worm
problem. -Ncr Orleans Exposition bulletin