The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1910-04-27
new COTTON PEST
INTERESTING INFORMATION o.;
RED SPIDERS.

In Dry Seasons His Ravages Become
Serious and He Needs Careful
Watching by Cotton Planters.
A correspondent of The State writ
ing from Batesburg call attention TO
new cotton pest, which be says has
acquired a keen appetite for the cot
ton plant. This enemy is the "tet-
ranychus gloveri." commonly kno~n
as the red spider He is a spider
| by virtue OF the fact that he has four
| pair OF legs. instead OF three. and
| would not be considered such in the
common acceptance OF the term. He
/ is rather mite" and his presence
would hardly be noticed except for
the effect that his rapacious appe-
tite has on growing vegetation.
l.. o. Howard. who is chief ento-
mologist IN the bureau Of entomol-
ogy. which is branch OF the United
States department OF agriculture has
made two recent trips to South Caro-
lima in the study OF the red spider"
At present H. T. Wilson. who Is con-
nected with the bureau. has head
quarters at Batesburg and Is devct-
ing practically his entire time 70 3
study OF the pest And to means OF
its qualification. In his study OF
pests he has travelled over most o.
|; cotton States. devoting much time to
those along the Atlantic Coast
Mr.. Wilson states that the red
spider is found in practically every
portion OF the cotton belt. In some
sections the spider Is scarce. but in
: others It is becoming quite pre'a-
: lent. It begins early in the year
probably living on other vegetation
, till the cotton is up. But little dam
= age. however, is usually apparent
until July or August, unless the
: weather is very dry It usually
: works on the underside OF the leaf
The egg from which 1t come |:
described as minute Translucent
pearl-like object found only D!
close observation, and then only tt
the initiated. The egg is hatcaed II
four or i've days when the mite i'm
mediately is busy helping to bull th'
market, although 1t takes from II
to II days before it can claim ma
k turity. The distribution Of the NIT
q is effected in several ways.
II is not much for walking. aot
flying is an impossibility. so he ha
been observed travelling over tn
country riding insects. The grass
hopper seems to be its favorite steed
II the convenience of his choice !:
slow in arriving it will get on tn
. first vehicle coming along. unless
,: happens to be a water wagon.
q is adverse to water. and has neve
heen known to thrive in rainy weath
er. It will get on the clothes 0
!aborers and then get back on tn
cotton further down the row.
't The chief method OF combating tn
s mite is by proper cuiture-rotatiol
i Of crops. deep ploughing in fall au'
winter, the destruction OF al! vese
= tation after crop is gathered. AM
3 keeping down weeds md grass Il
L the spring. Powdered sulphur
{ used to destroy the mite. and spray
e OF sulpber and lime, or Of sulphe
e and lye are also used. There ar
o other mixtures that are more or les
n effective. but those containing sui
L phur have been found to be the best
ef In determining the attack OF tn
red spider. or rust mite as be
sometimes called. attention is cal!
ed to the facts from Mr.. Howard
circular on the subject.
!, The earlier attacks Of the NIT
are quite characteristic; the leave
presenting on the upper side nea
the base scarlet appearance. which
occurring at first between the iarS
= er ribs. gradually spreads over tn
e leaf as the mites multiply. then die
: out and is replaced by dirty vel
8 low. the leaf finally shrireling ant
v falling to the ground Larger ant
e older leaves show the effect OF tn
: attack before younger leaves"
q OF his trips to South Carolina du.
> ing 1904 and 1905 Mr.. Howard ha
the following observation: In sew
- eral instances it was noticed tha
from a point on the margin Of ;
)" field where there were growing large
poke-berry plants the iafestation b!
e the red spider had spread over
fan shaped area Of the adjoining
cotton. At that time OF the yea,
8 (July and August} these weeds. a:
we'll as the cockleburr showed the ef
, feet Of the red spiders work.
II 1t will be we'll for the cotton grow
, ers. especially in this section. to keeI
, a sharp lookout for the hrst indi
cations Of the spider. It's appear
5 ance is no: hard to detect. nor Is il
any considerable trouble to control II
favorable weather: out permitted .c
multiply it will attack large areas
and its presence in hurtfu! quantities
cannot be determined for in the sea-
son when it is TOO late to accomplish
much. The Arst signs should be re-
ported to Mr. Wilson. who will be
able to give valuable advice. and. II
circumstances justify. will make a
personal visit to the infected field.