Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1919-05-29
MIXED POISON OF
VALUE IN KILLING
CRASSHHOPPPER PEST
IN WHEAT FIELDS.
Farmers of Missouri Effect a
Remedy for Plague Sweep
ing Through Growing Grain
Sixty to Eighty Percent of In
sects Will Die with First
Treatment; How to Make 1t

The grasshopper plague, which last
year menaced crops on Camas Prairie
and which is again cOusing concern
this year, has been met by farmers in
Missouri, whose fields have been in
tested with the hOppers, by a poison
which has proven effectuaL. The fol
lowing article from the Kansas City
Star tells of the methods employed;
Grasshoppers are still present in
large numbers in many localities in
Missouri, and if they are not destroyed
they may ruin the new wheat and the
new alfalfa soon after it comes up.
I'VE may expect them to be very ac-
tive and destructive until after heavy
killing frosts this fall" says Prof. T.
J. Talbert of the Missouri College of
Agriculture, who is urging farmers to
combat them with poisoned bran mash.
This is an effective and practical
method of control" says Professor
Talbert, las was proved in practical
tests made during July and August in
many Missouri counties. In Montgom-
cry and Livingston counties dying
grasshOppers were seen within five or
six hours after the distribution Of the
bait. and within three or four days
from 20 to 100 percent of the grass
hoppers were dead as the result of one
| application.
This fall the grasshoppers will come
int the new wheat and new alfalfa
| fields from adjoining fields, pastures
fence rows and roadsides. Just as
soon as the grasshOppers move into the
fields SOW a strip of the poisoned bran
mash, scattering it it broadcast early
in the morning. If the insects have
already spread into the fields the bran
mash should be spread over the in
tested area. 1t may be necessary to
repeat the application at intervals of
from three to four days"
The formula for preparing the poi
soned bran mash is as follows:
Wheat bran, 20 pocnds; write ar
senic or paris green, 1 pound; Oranges |
or lemons, or fruits cheap syrup
or molasses - gallon; Water, 31a gal |
Ions.
Mix thoroughly in a dry state, in
a tub or half barrel, the wheat bran
and Paris green or white arsenic. In
a separate receptacle mix the water
with the molasses or syrup of cheap
grade To this sweetened water add |
the oranges or lemons chopped fine
Add this mixture to the wheat bran
and pOsOn and mix thoroughly. The
poisoned bait is then ready for use
The MIXTURE should be moist and
Crumbly.
The poisoned bran should be sown
broadcast. like wheat or oats, over the
infested field during the early morning
hours. The quantity mentioned will 4
SOW from three to five acres, and
usually it will kill the grasshoppers in
from six to forty-eight hours after
they have eaten the poison. 1t is
often advisable to SOW a strip of the
poison mixture along the fence rows
or weeds and grass grown ravines from
which the hOppers emerge during the
morning. The first sowing of the poi
sOned bait should kill from 60 to SO
percent of the hoppers present If
the bait is properly prepared and town
there is no danger of poisoning birds
or livestock.