The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1911-04-06
Bureau Of Entomology Of the United
States Department Of Agriculture.
BY W. o. HUNTER,


Bureau Of Entomology Of the United
States Department Of Agriculture.
During the season Of 1909 note
worthy advance was made in the con-
troll of the boil weeviI by means Of a
poison. The credit for this achieve
ment belongs to Wilmon Newell of the
state crop pest commission Of LOui-
siaDa. In experiments with paris green
for the destruction of the boil weevil
carried on in previous seasons It was
found that certain number Of the in
sects were killed. 1t occurred to Mr..
Newell that the number reached by the
poison would be increased greatly IL a
substance much finer than paris green
could be obtained.
Arsenate of lead was the poison that
was selected. Very large quantities Of
arsenate Of lead may be applied to
growing plants without any injury
whatever. In the use of paris green
the presence Of small amount Of free
arsenic causes considerable da mage to
cotton plants If 1t Is applied ut the rate
of as little as Eve pounds per acre.
Mr.. Newell succeeded In having an en-
tirely new form of arsenate Of lend
mndc by one of the manufacturers OF
insecticides.
Used a. Fine Powder.
The substance is an exceedingly fine
powder that can be forced into the
buds and even into the covering Of the
squares (unblown budsp of the cotton
plant to far greater extent than
comparatively coarse powder like paris
green. The preparation Of this form
of arsenate Of lead consequently OBJ
Waited two important difficulties that
attended the use Of paris green--that
is, the danger of burning the plants by
large applications and the difficulty In
forcing the substance into the parts of
the plants where 1t would be taken up
by the insect Thus the fOunda ton
was laid for very greatly increasing
the mortality that had previously leen
obtained from the use of another poi
son.
In 1900 the state crop pest commission
Of Louisiana had thirteen experiments
with powdered arsenate of lead locat-
ed at different places. comprising over
fOrty-six acres. The poison was mp
piled at from one pound to fifty-on-
pounds per acre. In different expert
ments from one to ten applications
were made. In all but one Of these
experiments an increased crop was OBJ
tanned that resulted in q profit. after
deducting the expense incurred, which
varied from few cents to $23 per
acre.
Too Much Poison Used.
In one experiment which did not re-
suit In net profit an increased yield
Of 1c1 pounds Of seed cotton per acre
was obtained. The very large amount
Of poison used In this case (6fty -one
pounds per acre, involved such an ex
pense that this increased yield was
not sufficient to Offset It.
In the experiments In which from
ten to twenty-three pounds of the poi.
son per acre were used In from five to
seven applications the net profit ran
| from 1868 to $23.54 per acre. The
most profitable amount of the poison
| to be used seems thus to be Indicated
although the conclusions from the pre-
liminary work may be changed as thu
result of future Investigations.
| At most the poison merely places an
| other means Of control at the command
Of the planter. Everything indicates
that 1t will be an important means