The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1919-08-14
FOR BOIL
WEEVIL AVAILABLE
CALCIUM ARSENATE IS MOST Eff
FECTIVE.
Poisoning is Successful
Cotton Experts Will Furnish Neces
sary Information.-Stocks Of
Poison Low.

Washington, Aug. 7.-Useless and
expensive attempts to poison boil
weevils after the infestation has be-
come too general are likely to result
from the present boil weevil panic,
according to cotton experts of the
United States department of agricul-
ture. Many cotton growers, they say,
believed that the weevil had passed
them by and took no precautionary
measures until their fields we're over
run, and are now trying to get pois-
on and busting machinery in hurry
under conditions that absolutely do
not warrant poisoning.
The experts warn growers of the
difficulties of beginning poisoning af-
ter field has become completely in
tested. Poisoning tests have been
successful with complete infestation,
but it is a much more difficult matter
than merely holding developing in
festation in check. 1t requires not
only several more applications than
would have been necessary if treat
ment had been started earlier, but
much more poison is necessary for
each application.
Stocks of Poisons 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 an
other question which should be care
fully considered, they say, is whether
or not the cotton is actually worth
poisoning. There is a great deal or
cotton this year, even in the best pro-
ducing sections, that will not justify
the expense.
If these limitations are observed,
the experts say, the yield of cotton
under boil weevil conditions can be
considerably increased by poisoning
with powdered calcium arsenate. This
chemical, as an insecticide, is decided
ly new development, the supply is
limited, and most cotton growers are
| not vet familiar with the necessary
composition of the chemical, or with
the proper methods of applying it.
The cotton experts Of the United
States department of agriculture are
undertaking to furnish the necessary
information. They say, however, that
| their advice must be taken as general
and not as definite in it's application
| to all cases. They recommend that
all planters who plan to poison wee
wills communicate with the depart
ment's Delta laboratory at Tallulah,
La, describing their local conditions.
The laboratory experts will then give
them the most definite advice pos
sible.
1t is impossible to say just what
gains in production may be expected
from weevil poisoning. All expert
ments have shown, however, that
there is a rather large margin OF
profit from the operation in reason
ably good land. Poisoning is prob
ably not advisable on land which
would not yield at least half a bale
to the acre if there were no weeVlls'
Skimping is Poor Economy.
While weevil poisoning has been
successful, it has not yet entirely
passed the experimental stage. For
the present, it behooves all who are
going to try it to place themselves on
the safe side by doing it as nearly
right as can be judged from present
information. 1t is foolish, the ex-
perts say, to attempt to economize on
a few pounds of poison or hand dust
gun or two. Unless the poison is
promptly applied in sufficient quanti-
ties. the injury will be about as Sc
we're as if poisoning had not been at
tempted, and the money spent in the
operation will be lost. The depart
ment specialists urge that any one
who desires to poison make up his
mind to use the proper methods or
simply drop the idea altogether.
BY far the best poison for weevil
control is dry powdered calcium ar
senate, but the department urges that
it be bought on specifications. Other
wise. the material may be too low in
arsenic content to poison the weevils
successfully, or it may contain so
much soluble arsenic that it will burn
the plants, or it may be in such me-
chanical condition that it can not be