The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-08-20

to make his farm self-supporting. He
could easily raise everything he need
ed on 1t, If he only would, and five
years hence the farmer would realize
the value, IL not the actual necessity
for this. In answer to questions he
stated that he thought II a good plan
to cultivate cotton shallow up to the
time OF picking. and that the time
FOR making the mulch depended al
most entirely on the nature of the
land. He referred to one man who
had by actual experiment made ten
bushels more corn on one acre than
another by forming the mulch in time,
Immediately after rain.
Prof. w. A. Thomas Of Clemson
College paid his respects to the bugs
which prey upon the farmers and
his crops. Insect pests was the sub
ject Of his address and he told the
farmers present many things about
these pests which they never knew
before, things on which many of the
farmers who heard were still skepti-
cab even after he had finished talk
Ing. There are plenty of things we
know about these pests and there are
plenty Of things We don't know" Prof.
Thomas told his audience, who found
out at least one part Of this was true.
In dealing with insect pests, we must
Know what we are dealing with and
how to deal with them." or else the
crop might be injured as much as
the insects. He divided insects into
two kinds. those which take their
food in liquid form and those which
took their food In solid form. The
former, he told his audience, were
hard to deal with. as there was no
possible way to poison them and they
must be eradicated by destroying
their breeding places; the latter
could be easily poisoned with any OF
the common insect poisons. The best
way to control the former was by a
simple method Of rotation.
He took up the root lice as an ex-
ample. This did young cotton much
damage. 1t was cared for by ants
and was hard to be rid OF. He sug-
gested that cotton ought never to be
planted after corn or COW peas, but
after cover crop, on whose roots the
insect did not live. while 1t did live
on the corn roots and pea roots. He
further suggested that no kind OF
COW pea be planted except the iron
COW pea, which was more immune 70
the insect that other kinds of COW
peas.
There were two kinds OF bill bugs,
one OF which lived only In bottom
lands. while the other lived any
where. He suggested as q method Of
controlling them that the corn be
planted very earlv as 1t thus got ahead
OF the bug, which lays its eggs in May
and June. and by burning the stubble
of the corn stalks early In the fall.
as II was in this part of the stalk that
the bug spent the winter AS q tenn
porary relief he suggested moving the
cornfield from one part OF the farm
to another part.
An application OF kainit or muriate
Of potash would drive the cut worm
off cotton he stated in answer to a
question.
The worm which infested the bud
OF the corn could be easily killed by
an application of paris green with
slaked lime or road dust A handful
OF sand would drive the bug away.
He suggested that the land be plowed
up early In the fall. as by so doing
the bug would be killed in it's chry-
sails stage.
To get ahead OF the bud worm,
which vas In reality kind of
beetle. he suggested planting corn
after May lst
There were several kinds Of laiy
bugs. some of which fed on plant nfe,
while others fed on gourd vines, AMI
vines OF similar kinds. The first kind
was not injurious to the crop, but
beneficial. while the second could he
handled by an application Of paris
green.
The common potato bug was easily
killed by an application Of paris
green. or other poison.
The harlequin bug was a difficult
visitor tO handle. 1t might he killct
by an application Of Kerosene oil, bu
at the same time the plant woulo
probably he killed. IL feeds on liquid.
and poisons have no effect. The bcs
known methods Of driving II off plant
was To apply Kerosene torch nea
the plant when the bug would drol
OFT. hut the torch must not be place,
too close. CT the plant might he In