The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-05-06
THE CHRISTOPHER PEST.
PROF. MALlY GIVES A METHOD FOR
PROTECTING THE CROPS.
Formulas Which Have Proven Their e.
ficiency--The Experience Of Two
Texas Farmers.

publication of my report on the results Of
tests Of some remedies against the grass
hopper pest and IN anticipation OF another
outbreak this season, ! beg to submit 'he
following resume IN advance In order tnat
the farmers may protect their crops TINS
outline must necessarily he brief and VIII
therefore, simply quote from reports SUD
mitted to me by farmers who made ies's
under my direction last season. The re-
suits are cmlnently satisfactory and there
is no reason why farmers sdould suffer
any losses or serious injury If the pois-
oned food Is prepared and applied as a.
rected in the following This department
is under great obligations TO the active co
operation IN the making Of field tests 10
Mr. J. Spiyey, Adnllo, Texas and TO Mr..
j. H. Burkett, Putnam. Texas. The reports
of these two formers are selected because
of their geographical locations In the prin-
cipal grasshoppcr area.
Mr.. j. Spivey was given number NJ
formulas for testing so ~ to ascertain JUST
which one was best adapted for Hin coun-
ty. Preliminary tests had satisfied THIS
department that either of two fornlras
would be most satisfactory; a. Take ten
pounds wheat bran and half pound OF
arsenic 30 per cent?; mix thoroughly, then
dilute one gallon OF cane or sorghum Mo.
dsses with one gallon Of water; then use
enough of the bran and poison mixture TO
make quite . moist bran ma or dough
81 The second formula Was identical With
the first, except a pound " sugar was to
be added. These recommendations wee
made July 10, 1900 After several preltmi-
nary tests the formula was somewhat
changed so as to simplify the preparation
or the bran mash After these few tests
IN a small way the formula thus simplihtd
vas tested OH a large scale in the ihirsted
fields
Under date Of August 3, 1900 Mr.. Splycy
writes as follows: please excuse delay IN
not reporting results of tests before nov.
assure you 1t was not for want OF appre-
rtntion Of what Won have done for our pep
Die. In regard to the grasshoppcr VII
say that we Killed worlds of them and
saved our crops. which ate now as nne as
any you ever saw. We used The wheat
bran formula, omtttine tn" sugar. We ~ st
mixed the arsenic and bran thoroughly ami
thpn added three gallons at molassrs to
twenty five pounds of the poisoned bran
mixture. We mixed this Thoroughly and
then added enough water 10 make the bran
mash as wet as il would bear aud hlndie
well Then We simply sowed IL broadcast
IN our corn ana cotton ields thc same rs
though we were sowing oats am sure
you never saw the Hike OF grasshoppcrs that
we killed. | found twenty seven dead ones
under one weed not twelve inches In GI-
amcter So you see we killed them AMI
crops and fields are practically cleared of
gIasshoppers.
4 later letter was written to Mr.. Spirey
asking him to consider the entire situation
carefully In the Hight Of our entire CORE
spondence, the experiments and local con-
ditions existing ana report MS to whether
there might not he some changes or further
tests TO he made So MS to make the reclpe
for relief more perfect To this he replied
under date Of Angus .: II do not know Of
any way lust now that would Improye The
formula We tested Mt your suggestion ',nr
crops nre vet free from grasshoppers. We
consider our crpps perfect and that Is Nil
We ask
Mr. Burkctt recently submitted his re
port under date of April H. laO1. Anon
arsenic preparation mixed with sorghum
lnolassps ana n sinnlI amount Of sughr
gave the best results But even that prep-
arnttou would div, out and ho,ontt nara H.
il was eaten but llttlr bv The honpcrs Ali
those who followed vonr advice nersist-
entity and cncrgeticniy last season we've
vell naid for their trouble. while those
who gave M In despair lost n nrpe uart
aud in muny Instances their entIrp corn
aud cotton crops j found that the bran
mixture goes best Mt about fen noun y
bran. one pound arsenic and onp.half gnI
Ion sorghum molasses. with about one 10
two pounds of sugar added "
The prfncipal difference between this for.
mula and the ono inst riyen Iics i'm Tho
quantity of molussps used and tho ad H.
ton of sugar This. too lends ms IN more
very Important difference In somc ~
the results II also leads me ia cali ntten-
tion 10 tho defect I'm the forn,nIa ,,',,
mendrd by our oNperiment station for d.
stroying grasshopprrs This station for
muln consists of wheat bran nrsenic nnd
sugar properlv pirnortioned mo NAH
Is then made nv simnIv usinr ,vatrr ~
many complaints concerning This fnrmI,ln
had come to me that. fhonrh thousands
of transformers very Killed IL tbe nt"nnrs
ton was eaten while stju fresh was
compelled 10 make further dctniind neId
tests II developed that the nriucInai cansn
for complaint lies in the fn"t thot tSn
preparation dries ont too ouirklv In mo
hot sun and the grnsshonners mass /, ~
This difficulty lis largely nlIv,ofcd b,, ~
use of the m6lusses rs Is indlcatea ". ma
rpports suhnittnd Nv avn taets ~ tht
laboratory proved thot ths hron n,ssh
mndr with nolasses retoins It's moist s,,r
face better ma lnn~er In fact ia ho,
summer SIM. m 10 ~ cartain INIT -" " l,,t,
10 dissolye tho p,oi,s.cS M ,iit,''i, SeeuLs
Ing ITO hran r,,Jt os ,.aII o." ID 49, ~
mn n.rooeiin d'ws, II NH,i ~ ElNihs on
tra.ts mo NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., u.'" mn, H. a II, aHure az
nloinIv in1 n,,9oiVipl Nv hpursoh
Nt,ssIs Sri ~" Va ~ p' tes.''S ,nepusten py
80 ~ ~ anu nuIhww't ne formula
eyTJ ~ " 'a.'rI, !, WIN ne noted while
o,Ii,IiJIn" NJ, Tns y tthaehY 70 dry out too
Yui'Na; ne iormula which ne used calls
ier TnE we" H"ll ghilon OF molasSes 10