Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-10-08
ARSENIC AS AN 1NsEcr1c1DE.

are interested, therefore if it is not asking
too much please repeat the formula.
Dallas, Tex. o. \. STILES.
Add to FIVE gallons of water five pounds
of common white arsenic and one pound of
sal soda. A pound OF caustic soda or ICON
centrated" I've will answer in place of the
sal soda. Boil over fire in common iron
pot until all the arsenic is dissolved. This
makes saturated solution of arsenic that
will keep any length of time without the
slightest precipitation. We have kept it in
bottle ten years without being able to de-
tect the slightest change. The formula
was worked up by US in Texas eleven years
ago with view to poisoning the cotton
worm.
In our experimentation we put one quart
Of this solution into forty gallons of water,
which was then sprinlled over a field of
worm-infested cotton in the usual way. 1t
destroyed the worms, which were in strong
force when the application was made, leav-
ing the plants uninjured to any extent
worth naming. Several similar tests were
made, ali with uniform success. Forty gal
Ions were found amply sufficient to go over
an acre of cotton of ordinary growth.
In our opinion there is no better insecti-
cede for leaf or bark-eating insects than this
solution OF arsenic. OF course we are aware
that strong prejudice exists against the
use of arsenic as an insecticide, the preju-
dice growing out of the mere fact, doubt
less, that arsenic is well-known by name as
a deadly poison. Many persons who use Lon
don purple or Paris green as an insecticide
without hesitation, could not be induced to
use ''arsenic" under any consideration.
Nothing was ever more foolish! The tire,
remedies are really the same, at least the
agent IN either of the other articles named,
qualifying them to destroy insects, being
arsenic, and nothing else. Remove the AZ
senic from them and they would be no more
effectual as insecticides than cotton seed
meal or wheat bran.
But then, ''to tamper with so deadly a
poison as arsenic Is dangerousr' Not more
so than to tamper with either London pur
pie or Paris green. 1t will not do to use
solution of arsenic for drinking purposes,
would it do any better to SO use water hold
ing in suspension an misunderstanding per
centum of either of the other articles un-
der mention. Keep them out of the stomach
and there is no danger in any Of them.
1t is now too late in the season to talk
hence we are not positive as to what man
ner of insects our correspondent desires to
poison with his solution, though his letter
head leads US to suspect that he is arrang
ing to get out some kind of cotton Cir
cular for next year. Under this impression
we may 90 on little further in talk
about poisoning the cotton worm with our
solution of arsenic.
The rule which we have given for pre-
pairing the second or diluted solution might
not hold good in every instance, on account
of variation in the quality of arsenic,
though we do not know that there is any
great variation; certainly there must be
little danger of adulteration, for an article
so cheap would scarcely DE looked upon as
holding out many inducements for anything
OF that kind. A good and safe way to set
this thing all right-one that every planter
will understands to make small tests in
advance of the general application as fol-
lows:
With some small vessel, as a tablespoon,
put together one hundred and sixty meas
ures of water and one measure of the satu-
rated solution of arsenic. This gives the
proportion of one quart of saturated solu-
ton to forty gallons of water. Sprinkle
this thoroughly over an average hill of cot
ton and wait day or so for results, doing
it before the worms have put in a de-
structIve appearance, of course. If no
sign is left upon the plants the mix
ture is not strong enough, and you must
repeat the experiment with little larger
proportion of the saturated solution. If, on
the other hand, the plants show the leaves
scorched and damaged, the di-
luted solution is too strong, and you must
repeat with reduced proportion of the
saturated solution, measuring with great
care, however, so that you will be able to
come exactly at the extent of addition or
reduction when you make your d.
luted tsolution on larger scale.
If, after your application, you
find the leaves showing only an extremely
slight mark of scorch-an occasional leaf
curled a little at the edges, perhaps, and a
small brownish or ''piebald' spot here and
there on some of their interiors-your
diluted solution is just right. These very
slight scorches are what you want to see
while they will not damage your crop in the
least, they will assure you that you are
giving the worms dose sufficiently strong
to make rapid and thorough finish of
their work as cotton destroyers. With
your solution at this strength you need
have no fears of iniuring your plants, put it
on as you may; for, unlike liquid merely
holding an insoluble poison in suspension,
every drop applied is the same In case of
a suspended poison want of suitable agi-
ton is apt to render the application too
weak and when the vessel containing it is
to emptiness, it is apt to be too
strong, possibly to such an extent as to
work serious damage to the plants. With
the arsenic no agitation is necessary, and
the first pint drawn from the vessel differs
in not single particular from the last.
After long experience we find ourself
fully satisfied that there is no better cotton
worm remedy than this, and certainly none
less expensive. 1t ought to enable anyone
tn save his cotton from the cotton worm at