The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1914-07-09
THE RED SPIDER COMES.
THE PLANTERS MUST BE con-
STANTLY ALERT.
e. A. McGregor, Government Agent,
Outlines Steps to Take in Con-
ducting Campaign.

5,
er season is at hand" said Govern
ment Agent E. A. McCregor here TO-
day. complaints have begun to
come in to the Batesburg Office OF the
federal bureau of entomology. H.
w. Malloy, of Columbia, who farms
extensively in Scotland county. North
Carolina, complains that 80 or 40
acres of cotton is infested badly with
the red spider and the bureau is at
present conducting demonstration
on his farm at Laurinburg.
There is at present." he contin-
ued, "a superabundance of red spid-
ers throughout the central portion OF
the State. These occur on elm, oak,
maple and other trees and on many
kinds of garden plants, vegetables
and flowers. In many instances the
infestation is so heavyupon these sup
porting hosts that migration to other
plants-such as cotton, corn and cow
peas-has begun to take place. A
few fields have been seen in which
the cotton leaves have assumed the
blood-red spotting which character
ICES the initial work of the cotton
mites.
Farmers who have suffered IN
the past, or who are in the danger
zone-which includes the greater por-
tion of the State-should maintain a
most careful watch of their fields In
order to detct the earliest affected
stalks. These should be immediate
ly pulled out and burned and there
should be no let up in the inspection
OF such fields. By means Of this
elimination process it is possible to
rid a field of the pest, which if al
lowed to remain probably would
spread and cause serious loss to the
crop.
''In case that the infestation has
progressed unnoticed until consid-
cradle area has become infested it
will be we'll to proceed as follows:
Remove all the stalks in the central
and most affected portion of the spot
and Immediately burn them. This
should include all plants which have
a yellow sickly appearance. Then
the planter must spray ring all
around this cleared area out as far
as he can find any trace of red spider
work. There are but a few sprays
which will successfully kill the cotton
mites and the best Of these is one or
the other of the following two insec-
ticides: % Potassium sulphid at
the rate of one pound to 35 gallons,
or CD lime-sulphur solution. The
latter may be purchased ready made
and only has to be diluted at the
rate of one gallon to 25 gallons. 1t
may also be made at home as fol-
lows:
Unslacked lime. -..- 20 pounds
Flower of sulphur ---- ..--15 pounds
Water to make 49,. go. ---. so gallons
Slake the lime in about 10 or Is
gallons Of water. The sulphur, pre-
viously mixed into a stiff paste,
should be added at once to the slak-
ing lime. The whole mixture should
be boiled in a large iron kettle over
fire for about an hour. When done
the color should be clear yellowish-
brown. When through boiling tho
balance of the water may be added
and it should be applied to the cot
ton as soon as possible.
''The potassium sulphid spray is
perhaps to be preferred, since it is
quickly mixed and ready for use.
Farmers should be careful, however,
to secure a reliable brand of this
chemical, since certain brands are
not properly put up. Merck's or some
equally good brand should be insisted
upon. We have tested Thomsen's s
brand Of commercial lime-sulphur
and it has given entire satisfaction.
eve can not too strongly empha-
size the Importance of keeping the
red spider out of fields if possible.
In the case of this pest-as we have
often stated before-an ounce or
prevention is worth many pounds of
cure. 1t is possible to eradicate the
pest from fields after it has become
well established but this can only be
accomplished through vigorous and
determined action.
''The following points must be
kept in mind in spraying for the cot
ton red spider: Direct the spray up
ward so as to hit the bottom of the
leaves; be extremely careful to hit
every leaf of an infested stalk; be
sure to apply plenty of the spray
LIQUID so as to thoroughly wet every
leaf, remember and spray second
time-one week after the first spray