The Fort Worth gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-189?, 1891-05-21
on KILLING THE COTTON WORM.

Ter 70 De i HUE 100 SuOH JHdu lJLle LOO
late. It is seldom too soon for drawing
ones plans and getting things in shape for
an important work TO follow, and on this
plea we bring up the subject to-day, hoping
10 give everybody time for laying such
plans as will save his cotton from that u.s.
ually disastrous pest the cotton worm.
III 1872 the the late Capt Isaac Donovan,
then small cotton planter in Mobile
county, Ala, came 10 US With the informa-
ton that worms had appeared on his crop.
He wanted remedy for the trouble. We
knew of none, but suggested that since
Paris green was being successfully en-
ployed against the Colorado potato beetle
m The North the probability existed
hat the same thing might work equally as
wen against the cotton worm. The idea
struck him with favor, and obtaining sup
ply of Paris green he prepared it after
the potato beetle formula and used it on
MS cotton. 1t proved entirely effectual.
We gave an account of his experiment
through the public press. and from this be-
ginning sprung the present extensive en-
ploy1nent Of atsenical poisoning for saving
the cotton crop.
In 1850 we were employed as q special
aeent on tho United States chronological
commission, and placed in charge of the
cotton worm investigation for Texas. The
following, made up from our report Of that
york as rendered to the commission, en-
bodies our experience in the employment Of
sr=cnical poisouS on The cotton fields of the
Lone Star state.
81 has heretofore been published that
LONDON Purple
suspended in water ut the rate Of half
pound Of The former TO forty gallons of the
latter, and sprinked over the cotton plants
would prove entirely cfcctual as a remedy
for destroying the cotton worm. In the
hands Of The professional scientist so small
- proportion Of the poison might be made 10
answer every purpose, but our experience
AID observations have settled US in the con-
yicIiou that half pound TO forty gallons
makes a preparation loo weak fer general
usc among planters, especially with the
ride means now commonly employed
for putting IT upon he plants. Three
fo.riis OF a pound to forty gallons of
valrr makes miXlure sufficiently weak
for all practical purposes, presuming that
the London purple is Of the very best quail
itg: otherwise il would be too weak A
1noruueh application of the mixture so
moportoned Will destroy the worms, and
il well and evenly thrown over the plants
Y III not inlure them-in fact, one pound Of
the poison 70 forty gallons of water will
w0ri; no injury 10 the plants worth naming
if E"pt we'll stirred UP in the water and
thrown finely and evenly over the cotton.
v. do hoi know what London purple is
now selling at in the cotton regions, but
sunucse il must be ranging at figures some
where between and 10 cents pound,
which IS bringing the cost of cotton worm
poison pretty low, YOU see. Undoubtedly
Il is 4 good poison. The strongest obJec-
lien nat can be urged against it is its color.
/ IS reddish or purplish powder, and be-
iug very fine is not decidedly nice TO han
die, rs 4 matter Of course. But it does not
stain the cotton which happens TO be open
~ the time Of making the appiication-no
complaints have ever been made in that
particular.
In every test made we had fine success
with London purple where We used so
much rs three-fouths of pound to forty
gallons of water. Al the time referred 10
London purple was comparatively new as
AN Iusecticide, consequently we worked it
more thoroughly than we did
PARIS GREEN
our operations with the latter being con-
1ned TO 4 few applications made with the
poison suspended in water, for the purpose
OF determining how small L quantity could
he made effec:ual as a destroyer of the cot
ton worm The poison was obtained of a
deaier in Galveston, and was supposed TO
De IS pure as any on the general market.
Ii gave entire satisfaction mixed in the
proportion of one pound of Paris green TO
forty gallons Of wafer, ant. thrown over the
plants promiscuousv with 4 force pump
ia finely divided jos; but less than one
pound 10 :orty gallons did not prove i
decided success. This quantity entirely
cleared of the worms, and did not
seem to iEiure the plants in the least.
Ne added neither starch Tor -four, but
10 one application we added common salt
so the proportion of two pounds TO forty
gallons of ,he water and Paris green MKT
uro. The salt gave Il greater specific gray
iry 10 The water, thus as we thought aid
inc in the suspension Of the Paris green.
But the trouble with Paris green as a
roIton worm poison hes under two heads:
81, lis great cost compared to that of other
iofsous, and. (?), the liabili TO which one
IS exposed of getting an aduIterated and in
Icrior article. II will not do to risk apply
iug q worthless poison when ones planta-
: ION has been attacked by the cotton worm,
Tor 4 miss,ep made al that time could not
BE- re,a5en and correcteG-the cotton would
lie used up before = second application could
BE- made after learning that the first was a
failure.
We may add that the original method of |
applying Paris green rs an insecticide was
mixed with some kind of dry substance, as
tour Stacked lime etc. At the time of our |
in Texas that method had |
been pretty generally discarded for the |
water suspeusion method. OF late years
seem TO have gone back 10 |
lrst principles, and are now recommending |
The application OF both Paris green and |
London purple in the dry state, mixed with |
some suitable adulterant. For ordinary |