The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-08-06
RED SPIDER IS ABROAD
INSECT PEST, ENEMY OF COTTON,
Is IN THIS STATE.

Attacks Plants in Cotton Field And
is Very Decentralization to Get
Rid of the Spider.
Farmers are always having their
troubles and local agriculturists are
no exceptions to the rule. Not only
have their been rumors of the army
worm getting busy, although no Sc
rious rayages have been reported, but
the red spider, an enemy of cotton,
has made its appearance, and has
caused considerable concern.
We are in receipt Of bulletin on
the red spider and how to destroy it
from Entomologist A. F. Conrad, OF
Clemson College, which will be OF
much interest to local farmers suffer
ing from the red spider.
The bulletin as to the "Red Spider
on Cotton, is as follows: ''This in
sect is at present being reported from
a number Of localities in the State
and according to the present outlook,
trouble may be expected from this
port as soon as dry weather sets in.
The red spider, which is mite, has
been an important cotton pest in this
State for the last four years.
The damage varies in different To-
calities from year to year, and the
loss to the cotton may vary from 10
to 20 per cent. This insect occurs on
the under side of the cotton leaves,
and when looked at with the naked
eye, it appears like dot of reddish
ink from the point Of fine pen. The
under surface Of the leaf is covered
with a fine web under which the in
sect lives and feeds. The female lays
about fifty eggs, and the life history
during warm weather requires about
10 days. Infested leaves turn rcd
dish and fall off one by one and final
ly the plant dies.
There are number Of important
recommendations against this pest IN
the fall and spring, but these are at
the present time out Of the question.
The question is, what can be done at
the present time? Burn, grub out, or
otherwise destroy violets and poke
weeds.
Underbrush in a red spider infect
ed cotton field is very undesirable.
With the appearance of dry weather
carefully watch your cotton fields for
the first appearance of red spider IN
tested stalks. They can be detected
by the change Of color in the leaves
and these n!ants should be destroyed
Immediately. Avoid careless drag
eire Of these infested plants over the
plantation from place to place, be-
causeit mechanically spreads the
pest.
Local infestatiors on plantations
can be successfully and economically
controlled by the application of
sprays. It is all important that the
fields be watched and the spray, ap-
plied when the first infestation is no
ticed. Not only should infested be
sprayed. but also the plants immedi-
atelv surrounding the infested or dis
colored area. Whichever spray is US
ed. there should he two applications,
one week apart. The second spray IS
to kill the red sDiders that have
Matched from eggs since the first
sprav was given. The potassium sui
phide spray recommended by Mr.. Nc
Gregor. of the red spider labratory
of the bureau Of entomology, Is cheap
cause it mechanically spreads the
lows:
Potassium sulphide, three pounds;
water 100 gallons.
Potassium sulphide costs about 20
cents a pound and thus 100 gallons
would cost about Is cents; and is suf-
ficient for spraying one acre. Potas-
SUM can be obtained at practically
every drug store and is therefore,
available in most local markets. Lime
sulphur wash is another spray tnat Is
yerv effective against this insect.
This can be made at home like the
regular lime sulphur wash used for
the spraying of fruit trees against
San Jose scale. It is prepared as fol-
lows:
ouicklime, 20 pounds; water 100 gal
Ions.
The cost Of 100 gallons is about
$40 This lime sulphur wash can
also be purchased in the market as
concentrated lime sulphur wash and
the sprya can be prepared by adding
two gallons of the wash to 100 gal
Ions of water. Of the sprays given
above. the first, namely, potassium
sulphide, is recommended
1-o>-,nc prroCCT7E HI-ERTA