The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1914-08-01
FAKE CURES FOR BOIL WEEy|L.
Special Preparations for Destroying
insect Absolutely Without Value
Use of Compound to Produce
Repeilent Scent Waste of Effort.
By E S. TUCKER, Associate Entomologist.
Louisiana Agricultural Experiment sta
tion, Baton Rouge. La.

Every once in a while clair
gains currency through newspaper
and even banking and mercantil
channels of publicity that a specia
preparation has been found Whicl
after being applied upon cottol
plants will protect or save the GRO
from ravages of the boil weeviI. De
spite all that has been said O.
proved by state and government in
Vestlgators to show the fallacy O
such methods of treatment, many
planters waste their time and money
trying out some kind of compound
Letters can be produced by the doz
en- which were written by these
growers stating that they failed t.
obtain the least benefit from use OF
| the substances.
| mat firms or mem bers of a bust
ness concern should be deceived in.
to advocating or practically indors.
ing the assertions of irresponsible
experlmenters or parties in the face
| OF expert testimony is nothing less
than culpable indiscretion. If the
advice of state and government spe-
cialists is to be disregarded, these of
Ulcers must then take steps to ex-
pose the fakes and frauds whenever
they come to notice.
An idea which has been advanced
to the effect that oil-soaked gunny
sacks Or cloths when dragged over
cotton plants during cultivation of
fields is sufficient to leave an odor,
especially if strong smelling sub
stances like tar and moth balls have
been combined with the oil, and
thus be effective enough to repel the
WeeVlf from one ploWing to the next,
can nave no merit in fact. Exam
lnation will reveal as many weevils
on cotton SO treated from the day
following the application as before it,
while conditions are otherwise the
same.
The use of compounds for the pur-
pose of producing a lasting repellent
scent on plants is futile. The i'm
possibility of obtaining by such mea-
suras effective immunity of the live
growth to infestation by pests is
too evident. Whatever odor is Civ
en- OFF by the preparation must be
speedily dispelled in the air and can
nave no chance to act materially
upon insects.
All substances which produce re-
pellent scents or even killing fumers
active upon insects are only ser
Vfceable when used in enclosed
spaces. None can be safely or feas-
lbly applied on exposed plant growth
TO drive and keep away pests OW
ing to the bracts which nature pro-
Fides for covering the cotton forms, |
no practical way whatever Of reach |
ng Or dislodging the weevils hiding |
lnder the enclosures can be devised.
In speaking Of sprays. poisons and |
;umigants or smokes, W. D. Hunter
las made some convincing statements
# which the following may be quot
I'd from Farmers Bulletin 344, U. S.
Department. of Agriculture: can in
difficulty that these spe-
,ial preparations have encountered is
he impracticability of the applica-
Ion in the field. Hundreds of
lnown substances will kill the Wee
il when brought in contact with it.
7he difficulty is to apply them in an
economical way in the field
A final word of advice by the same
uthority deserves to be impressed
lpon cotton planters: ..Do not go
0 the expense of buying special prep
fatieHs destre5zil 4 s. the the HeeEil-
Disappointment and loss are certain
0 follow