The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-06-16
POISON GRARSSHOPPERS.
Used While Insects are Young, Poisoned
Bait Proves Effective Method of Control


Farmers need no longer be helpless
against the ravages of grasshoppers in
their fields. If discovered in the early
days OF their attack, these pests are now
quite easy Of control by means of pois-
onei bats, the most effective of which
is described below. This method has
been used with remarkable success in
many parts of the United States, its
complete effectiveness depending only
upon the discovery of the young insects
~before they have attained any consider
able size, when the injury done by them
is still very slight and when they are
wingless and easily killed by poisons or
mechanical means. Entomologists in the
United States department of agriculture
tell how to make and apply this bait,
as follows:
The constituents are wheat bran, 25
pounds; Paris green, one pound, or white
arsenic, one pound; lemons or oranges,
six finely chopped; low-grade molasses
such as refuse from sugar factories, or
cattle molasses known as "block strap"
two quarts; water, two to four gallons.
The bran and Paris green or other arsen
ical are thoroughly mixed while dry, the
fruits finely chopped and added and
lastly the molasses and water are poured
over the bait and the whole thoroughly
kneaded. A coarse faxed bran is most
although where this can not
be obtained easily ordinary middlings
or alfalfa meal may be substituted; a
low grade strong syrup or mo-
te al 10 H.
success of the poison. Crushed ripe to-
matoes, watermelons, or lines may be
for the lemons or oranges,
if necessary. Ordinary powdered white
arsenic (arsenious acid contains nearly
twice as much arsenic as Paris green and
is comparatively low in price. The pow
dered form of arsenate of lead may be
used, but in this case twice as much of
it must be used as of the Paris green. |
In California and other semiarid regions |
water should be added to the bait at |
pounds of bran, as in these climates the |
oait dries out very rapidly and the ex-
ira moisture is necessary in order to at
,raet the grasshoppers.
The poisoned bran bait is distributed
,yer the infested fields by sowing broad
asst, either on foot or from light wag-
IN or buggy. In applying the bait in
care must be taken TO avoid
it close TO the trees, be-
.ause severe injury to fruit trees occa-
ionally results from heavy applications
If arsenical poisons.
The time of day chosen for distribut-
ng the poisoned bats has an impor-
ant bearing upon the results secured.
n California and other semiarid regions
he bait should be distributed in late
,fternoon or early evening, just before
he grasshoppers ascend the plants on
which they usually pass the nigla. They
re apparently hungry and thirsty at
his time and greedily take the bait if
t be available. In the moister portions
t the country, such as New England
nd Florida, the bait is best applied in
he early morning, before sunrise if pos
ible. Farmers should not be discour-
ged if the grasshoppers do not drop
cad Immediately upon eating the pois-
n, as it usually takes "a hours or more
or the full effect of the bait to become
pparent.
Further information in regard to grass
oppers and their control may be Sc
nred from farmers bulletin TAT, which
ill be furnished free to those applying ,
, the department of agriculture.
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