The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1919-08-23

poison boil weevils after the infest
| ton has become too general are lik
| ly 90 result from the present DO,
weevil panic, according to experts
the United States De Jartment Of A
J ricuisure. Many farmers, they say b
lieved thIt., ..asa weevii had passs
them by and took no precatEiofiai
measures until their fields were owe
run, and are now trying to get poiso
and busting machinery in a hurry Vi
\ der conditions that absolutely do ne
warrant poisoning.
The experts warn growers Of tn
difficulty Of beginning poisoning al
ter field has become completely in
Tested. Poisoning tests have bee
successful with complete infestatiol
but it is much more difficult mat
ter than merely holding a developint
infestation in check. 1t requires no,
only several more applications thar
would have been necessary of treat.
ment had been started earlier, but
much more poison Is necessary for
each application.
Stocks of Poison Low
Another point on which a warning
is sounded is the difficulty of getting
poison in time. The supply is very
short. dependent upon the stocks of
few northern factories, and ship
ments are bound to be slow. Still
another question which should be
carefully considered, they say, is
whether or not the cotton is actually
worth poisoning. There is a great
deal Of cotton this year, even in the
best producing sections, that will not
justify the expense.
If these limitations are observed
the experts say. the yield of cotton
under boll-weevil conditions can be
considerably increased by poisoning
with powdered calcium arsenate. This
chemical, as an insecticide, is decided.
~ a new development, the supply is
limited, and most cotton growers are
not yet familiar with the necessary
composition Of the chemical, or with
he proper methods Of applying it.
The cotton experts of the United (
states Department of Agriculture are &
Undertaking to furnish the necessary {
They say. however, that a
nelr advice must be taken as general
nd not as definite in its application c
0 all cases. They recommend that al r
ianters who plan to poison weevils a
with the departments C.
'eita Laboratory at Tallulah, La. a
escribing their local conditions. The is
'ooratory experts will then give TO
lem the most definite advice DOS. h,
bic. q,
IL Is impossible to say Just what b.
ms in production may be expected cf
ON weevil poisoning. All exre-i. OF
ents have shown, however, that je
ere is rather a large margin Of de
ont from the operation in reason of
~ good land. Poisoning is prob m,
iy not advisable on land which to
'uid not yield at least half a bale
the acre If there were no weevils.
Skimpins IL Poor Economy in
While weevil poisoning has been Sid
,cessfui' it has not yet entirely sal
'sed the experimental stage. For mo
present, it behooves all who are moi
ng to try it to place themselves on the
SAFE side by doing it as nearly sar
ut as can be judged from present MIA
0rmatIon. 1t is foolish, the experts a =
to attempt to economize on a s;h,
pounds Of poison or a hand dust u ,
or TWO. Unless the poison is a v
periy applied in sufficient ouan- moi,
IS the injury will be about as So and
; as If poisoning had not been at. pno
pied, and the money spent in the dns,
'ation will be lost. The denart- A.
specialists urge that anyone who w.s
res to poison make up his mind ~ .en,,
the proper methods or simpIv b,g
the idea altogether. NJ.
far the best poison for weev;, sro.
roi is dry powdered calcium ar. II
'e' but the department urges that all
a. .pe'Nhcations. Other plant
the material may be too low a mi,
senic content to poison the wee. inc
~. -, VI may contain only
ueh soluble arsenic that Il will mo ,
the plants, or it may be IN snch rls s
"A ''on 'hat 1t can not ing s
:, every man buying perio,
e. =" ., snou,d require that equip
norm to the following specifi- permi
IS: Not less than 40 per cent ent;r.
c pentoxide; not more thanO ~ Cd ~
,n.;.u uDie arsenic pentox- to poi
m -, ' 'nan gu nor more early
49, per pound. cessfu
80 IT, .memicai firms, the by ap
T.. I"n -" viii De furnished by dry a.
isa Laboratory at TalIulah La bree,.
anufacturing this material. II and -
e bought, also, through some B..;.
'ed houses and dealers in plan. On