The Dawson journal., 1885-07-16
THE CATERPILLARS.
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Directions For Their Etfectual ! De
F2& struction.

F3a struction.
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The scommissioher of agricu
tllre, Hon.J. II! Henderson, in al
swer to numerous letters col
corning the presence of caterpi
lars, gives the following valuab]
information: hlg aoa 80 Aiea
Reports shave reached this oi
fee of the appearance of caterpil
lars in several localities Com
mencing this early, if the season
continue moist and favorable
much damage to the cotton croI
may be expected. As. in the cas-
of all evil visitations, prevention
! is more to be relied ON than. cure
the use of Paris green and Lon
| don purple as a means of destroy
ing cotton caterpillars is no long
er an experiment. There is nC
doubt that the ravages of this pes
can be greatly diminished and of
ten entirely prevented if opera
tions are promptly begun. II
August, 1888, Inspector Rogers
was sent to the farm of Mr.. b. S
Kittrell, of Oconee, johnson coun.
ty, with the view to testing the
efficacy OF London purple as a de.
stroyer. The following extract
from circular No. 46 (from this
department) gives the method
used by Col. Rogers, and the re-
suit Of the experiment.
One pound of the London pur-
pie was diffused in 100 gallons OF
water in the first experiment, and
sprayed upon the cotton plants by
means of a cheap tin lawn sprink-
Ter Costing $500. On the sue
ceeding morning, while Mr.. Rog-
ers did not find any dead worms,
neither did he discover any live
ones. They had disappeared.
He then made stronger mixture,
or at the rate of one pound of the
London purple to sixty gallons of
water, and applied it in the same
manner to another part of the
same field, where the caterpillars
were quite numerous. 1t was
found that this application not
only destroyed the worms, but al
so seriously injured the foliage OF
the plants. He then hit upon a
medium strength Of one pound of
the purple to so gallons of water.
The result of this experiment was
more satisfactory, the worms be-
ing effectualiy destroyed, and the
foliage not materially injured
He now recommends a mixture OF
one pound Of purple to 80 to so
gallons of water.
"The details of the experiment
were quite simple, and may be
easily improved upon by the ex-
ercise of little ingenuity. The
pump was carried and operated
by one person, and the poisonous
mixture in a bucket by an assist.
ant, operating on eigat rows at a
time.
In larger operations, barrel
containing the mixture may be
mounted on the axel Of a pair ol
wagon wheels, and connected with
the pump by means of a flexible
rubber tube.
The London purple may be had
at most large drug stores at about
sixteen cents per pound Ltdoes
not dissolve Ill water, and the mix.
ture must be frequently stirred ur
to prevent settling The pumps
or sprinklers may be had at any
large household furnishing store
Ii ineonvenient to procure Lon.
don purple, Paris green will an.
swer the purpose equally as well
using one pound well stirred il
twenty-five pounds Of cheap -four
and sprinkling the same on the
plants while wet with dew thro
a fine cloth. The purple, how.
ever, costs less per acre, and may
be more expeditiously applied
Twenty-Five gallons of the poison
ed water will be sufficient for one
acre, according to the estimate oi
Mr.. Rogers.
The experience Of every cotton
planter whose crop has suffered
from caterpillar visitations in the
past will enable him to locate the
portions of the field whers the
worms will first appear, and theri
to commence operations as soon
as few become visible.
1t is important TO destroy the
first and second broods, and tins
practically limit the third and lat,
ter broods to such small numbers
that no material damage will re-
suit. The cost of materials anc
appliances, and the amount of la.
Dor required to effectually CHECK
the progress Of the caterpillar, is
so small that a planter who per
mits his crop to be destroyed ol
materially injured is without ex-
cuse.
a Walking Skeleton.
NJ. u GD,.,pcar ne NToobon;oe,