The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1910-07-16
RED SPIDER pest
MAKES IT'S APPEARANCE IN THE
COTTON FIELDS.

An Agent of the Agricultural De.
partment Tells Best Way Of Conf
batting the Small Bugs.
The red spider has broken out on
the farm of R. H. Caughman, near
Lexington, and threatens to be very
destructive to the cotton crop should
the present wet season be followed
by continued hot and dry spell. The
State says is appears from the state
ments of those interested in this cot
ton pest that great many sections
of the State are infected and it is
believed that unless it's spread is
checked it will become shortly as
destructive as the boil weeVil.
The cotton affected willis as if it
were scalded and finally dies. No
practical remedy has as yet been
found, though there are preventive
remedies which appear successful
The department of agriculture has
established laboratory at Bates
burg for thorough study Of the
rel spider and H. F. Wilson in
charge of the work visited Lexington
and made an examination of the
Caughman field. He is positive, in
his opinion, that the trouble is the
red spider and, of course, he real
ICES the danger of it's further spread.
In speaking about this matter, he
makes !.hese interesting onserVa-
tions; aud desires '!.':I lev shall re-
ceive the attention Of farmers alt
over the State:
"Violets and poke weeds appear
to be the plants from which the
spiders spread to the cotton. l have
seen number Of fields where volets
in yards were badly infested with the
spider before it passed to the cotton.
I he original infection began close to
the violets and spread out first in a
fan shaped form and then gradually
the whole field became infested. The
same thing is observed in connec-
ton with poke weeds. Jersualem
oak, burkock, morning glories and
garden products are food plants for
the spider and should be kept away
from cotton fields. The spider seems
to be pretty we'll scattered about the
State and is doing considerable dam
age, and threatens to do great
deal more unless some means can be
found for checking it.
II have hardly gone far enough
with the work to be able to suggest
a desirable remedy. However, POKE
weeds and violets near cotton fields
should all be destroyed, and if the
spider is only found on few plants,
these should be pulled and burned.
The spider seems to be able to win
ter in violets and the danger lies in
infestation from these sources.
"Where the infestation is bad
have found the following mixture to
be effective in killing the most Of
them: One pound of sulphur to three
gallons of water. The sulphur to
be placed in bucket or pan and
enough water added to form a paste
with the sulphur, then the remainder
of the water can be added. This
mixture can be applied with a spray
pump or with an ordinary sprinkler.
Care should be taken that the mix
ture is gotten onto the under side of
the leaf. The spider propagates it
self very rapidly and the failure to
make a thorough spray leaves room
for danger in the future.
The most pactical method in the
way of prevention seems to be that
of crop rotation and l hope that by
the end of the season satisfactory
system of rotation may be worked
out The farmers themselves can
do a great deal towards prebenting
the spread of this pest If they will
be careful about plowing around in
tested stalks. The spider catches on
the harness and may be carried a
long ways into the field and new
colony planted. This is very SER
ious problem and to some extent
a new one. The department is do
ing the best it can and is greatly IN
terested in the work.