Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1911-03-31

BY w. D. HUNTER,
Bureau Of Entomology Of the Unfts]
Sta%se Depsr%p1sp ~ Aa~riauItuN

BurSeu o. Entomology Of the Onned
States Department Of Agriculture.
During the season of 1900 q note.
worthy advance was made in the EN-
troll of the boil wsevil by mesAs Of 4
poison. The credit for this achieve
ment belongs to Wilmon Newell Of the
state crop pest commission of Loui-
siana. In experiments with paris green
for the destruction Of the boil wesvil
carried on in previous seasons 1t was
found that q certain number Of the in,
sects were killed. 1t occurred to Mr..
Newell that the number reached by the
poison would be increased greatly II 4
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 n small amount of free
arsenic causes considerable damage to
cotton plants If 1t is applied at the rate
OF as little as FIVE pounds per acre.
MI. 4NCNGll SuCCCS0tN II AANlHK IN -
tirely new form of arsenate Of Lead
made by one Of the manufacturers of
insecticides.
Used az Fine Powder.
The substance IS an exceedingly fne
powder that can be forced into the
buds and n-into the covering Of the
squares (unblown buds Of tAs cotton
plant to Il far greater extent than 4
comparatively coarse powder like parh
green. The preparation Of this form
Of srsenate Of lead consequently OBJ
viated two important difficulties that
attended the use of paris grsen-tAat
is, the danger Of burning the plants by
large applications and the difficulty In
forcing the substance into the parts Of
the plants where it would be taken up
by the insect. Thus the foundation
was laid for very greatly increasing
the mortality that had previously been
obtained from the use of another poi.
son.
In 1909 the state crop pest commtsioa
Of Louisiana had thirteen experiments
with powdered arsenate OF lead locat-
cd at different places, comprising owe
forty-six acres. The poison was ap-
piled at from one pound to ifty-one
pounds per acre. In different expsri-
ments from one to ten applications
were made. In all but one Of thsss
experiments an increased crop was Oh
tanned that resulted in q profit, aftai
deducting the expense incurred, which
varied from a few cents to $23 PEI
acre.
Too Much Poison Ussd.
In one experiment which did not re
suit in Il net profit an increased yisle
Of 121 pounds Of seed cotton per acre
was obtained. The very large amount
OF tpoison used in this case (ffty-ona
pounds per acre. involved such an Ok
pense that this increased yield WA
not sufficient to offset 1t.
In the experiments in which from
ten to twenty-three pounds of the poi
gon per acre were used in from 1ve tc
seven applications the net profit ran
from S3.63 to 1884 per acre. The
most profitable amount Of the poison
to be used seems thu to be indicated
although the conclusions from the pre-
liminary work may be changed as the
result OF future Investigations.
At most the poison merely places an
other means Of control Mt the command
of the planter. Everything indicates
that 1t will be an important means