Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-07-05
THANKS HIS FRIENDS

AiieHas VINO nave sent me messages
Of congratulat want to express my
hearty thanks. I shall not be able to
answer them individually, I am afraid.
they are so very numerous. I hope this
inadequate acknowh dgment will fall nm
der their eyes. These messages of per-
sonal confidence help immeasurably TO
make public service seem worth while.
manure for garden purposes, contain
ing about 2 to per cent of organic
nitrogen, per cent of phosphoric acid,
and TO z per cent of potash This
should be used at the rate of not less
than 500 pounds per acre Then you
may use some nitrate in small quanti-
ties for top dressings on the vegeta bles
you mention. The vegetable matter
and chicken manure you are using on
your garden are good materials for pro-
viding humus and nitrogen, but the
manure must be supplied in larger
quantity than you are now using
Probably the pickle worm and squash
oorer have attacked your cucumbers
and squash. The best way to fight
these pests is to mix arsenate of lead
with water at the rate of one ounce
TO about four gallons and spray the
plants thoroughly. This method will
not prove very effectivs, but it is the
best suggestion we can offer under the
circumstances. You should gather up
all infested vines and burn them.
The worms in your tomatoes are no
doubt the corn bud worm, and the
chances are they will go to the corn in
few days. Spray your tomatoes with
arsenate Of lead in the proportion men
toned above. BE sure to wash any to-
matoes and cucumbers which have been
sprayed before using. Follow a rota-
ton OF crops in your gardeI., and keep
trash off the ground, and burn or bury
all infested tomatoes.
FIGHTING THE COTTON CATERPIL-
PILLARe
w. II. NJ, Cuthbert, Ga, writes: 1
have learned that the cotton caterpillars
are on their way down here. They ate
up about three bales of cotton for me
last year I have such a nice crop of
cotton that I would hate to lose it by
the worms, so have come to you for
help. Can you tell me what to do to
keep them away, or to destroy them after
they have appeared?
Your fear in regard to the cotton cat
erpillar is well founded as they do an
enormous amount of damage Reports
are coming in from many parts of the
state that cotton fields are being visited
and preyed upon by this pest. These
worms winter in, the southern states and
are generally in very small numbers the
first Of the season. They hatch about
three broods during the summer, not
being in very large numbers until the last
Matching when they literally clean up all
the cotton leaves that happen to be left
green in the late autumn. They pass the
winter in the form of moths which be-
gin TO fly about in March in search of
some good place to lay their eggs which
number between 600 and 500. which hatch
into army worms. These worms develop
another set of moths which in turn lay
again and give rise to the second gener-
alton Of worms. The question of com
batting the worm is a serious one, and
no very effective remedies have as yet
been discovered, but one which has been
fairly successful is to mix an equal
quantity of wheat flour and Paris green
and dilute with slaked lime in the pro-
portion of one TO five parts. This MKT
ure thinly distributed over the cotton
plants will in some measure check the
movement of the worm, and should be
applied before they cover a large area.
This mixture should be applied not only
in the area in which the worms are feed
ing, but should circle around this area
for a few feet Another remedy is to
make a dust furrow around the area
covered by the worms by blowing deep
furrow and raking with a drag in order
to pulverize the earth. The caterpillars
Get in this furrow and can not get out.
GOOD VERSUS POOR PREPARATION.
C. S. B., Atlanta, Ga, writes: What
have been your observations In regard
to crop conditions this year where the
lands have previously been broken deep
as compared with fields which have al
ways had only shallow breakingg
should think that lands well broken
would not have the trouble of draining
themselves of the excessive rains this
winter and spring as lands not broken
deeply. Have you observed the condi-
tions in fields which have previously
been broken with dynamite?
In our Judgment the fields which have
been deeply broken have taken care Of
the abundance of water which has fall
en- as rain to better advantage than
those not properly prepared. In sea-
son such as this there would be less
difference between a well prepared and
poorly prepared piece Of land, for the
reason that the superabundance of mois-
ture finding its way through the soil
will tend to dissolve out and liberate a
considerable quantity of plant food. and
may In fact supply the crop with a
larger amount than would be true in a
dry season. AS a matter of fact any
crop will do better in either wet or dry
season on soil which has been thorough
" prepared. Lands which have been
we'll broken will dissolve and hold more
moisture than those which have not
been deeply stirred. OF course, all soils
have a maximum water-holding capaci-
ty, and when they become surfeited with
moisture. there is a tendency for them
TO wash and erode. 1t is not likely that
the use Of dynamite on soils would show
.-..-..a -.-,.Its On, q wet sea I'm