The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-07-31
Paris Green for Both CaterptIlars and Boil Worms,

It behooves every cotton farmer to nave on hand at this season of the year at least small supply of Paris green. It is a matter of general knowledge that during the last four or live years the cotton army worm or caterpillar has been steadily increas- Ing In numbers and in the damage done. There Is every reason for us to expect that this damage will increase year by year. in time becoming as great as 1t was fifteen years ago. or before the temporary disappearance of that insect The methods of cambatting the cotton caterpillar are we'll known preparations of arsenic in almost any or the common forms may be used, but the one most generally used is Paris green. At one time. London pur- pie was extensively employed as a sub stnnte for Paris green and white arr. senic has also been used in some in- stances. General experience had in- dicated that 1t is most convenient to apply Paris green in the form of a powder. either alone or mixed with several times it's weight of four In either case the arsenic is placed in a small cloth bag. and shaken on the plants by man either walking or rid ing. When riding two to four rows are covered at a time.
 This Is especially written to point out the less generally known use of Paris green in combating a pest that Is more injurious to cotton. than is hte cotton caterpillar. Recent experiments conducted in Texas indicate that re- peated dustings with Paris green dur ing July and August. or at the time when boil worms are most numerous. greatly decreases their Injury. It would be well for farmers to be guid- ed by these tests at least in a few of their fields where boil worms are se- rfous. or better. where rank growth leads the farmer to suspect that boil worms will do slost injury. It is not claimed that the boil worm eats any of the poison after entering the boil but that the eggs are laid upon the leaves and that in passing to the boil the in- sect may make a few meals upon leaf or square at a time when very little poisoned material is necessary for It's destruction.
 One of the most practicable and cheapest means of circumventing the boil worm is the planting In the cotton fields of few rows of late corn. three plantings being made at different times so as to make a succession of roast ing ears during the latter half of sum- mer and at a time when the eggs are being laid in the greatest numbers moth lays large proportion of It's eggs on the corn plants. and on matching the young worms enter the ears in preference to finding their way into the more distant cotton bolls. It should be said that cross corn or oth- CT early planted corn will not answer for this purpose. In Alabama last year about half a dozen farmers to my knowledge tried this plan of planting late. but regret that in every instance known to me the date of the planting of the corn was too late for the best results This was most unfortunate and might have a tendency to make them distrust the value of corn as 0 trap crop since 1t Is generally known that early corn Is ineffective and since their experience doubtless shows that corn planted in June Is too late.
 J. F. D.