The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-06-18
Shall We Poison in 1921?

Clemson COlleSe, june lo-"Oli
fertile. high yielding land where the
weevil is very destructive. we recon-
mend poisoning provided it is done
intelligently; but the price Of cotton
having fallen faster than the cost OF
machines poison. and labor it is
obvious that corresponding high
yield per acre is necessary to offset
the expense Of treatment and insure
profit. says Prof A. +. Conrad.
chief entomologist. 1t is as cheap
to poison cotton that makes a bale
per acre as it is to poison cotton
that makes one-half bale per acre.
Unde.- what conditions is poison
ing most profitable? Where cotton
acreage has been reduced to the
point where the crop can be given
exceptionally good care, and where
the fertility Of this smaller acreage
is continually being increased by the
incorporation Of legumes. manure,
and intelligent fertilization. The
results from poisoning are most
Ibroftable on high yielding land.
Poisoning will never take the place
of soil building but poisoning is most
profitable in a, system Of diversified
farming that has soil building for its
chief aim.
The principal handicaps in poison
ing in 1920 were the failures on the
part OF farmers to inform themselves
adequately: the scarcity Of specially
constructed machinery; the adverse
weather conditions; and the failure
on the part of the farmers to provide
checks that were dependable. so that
reports of the results Of poisoning
carried but very limited weight.
How to Poison.
The United States Delta laboratory.
Tallulah. La, gives the following
directions on How to Poison"
Use only pure calcium arsenate in
the form of dry powder. Apply
this only in the dust form. Pur-
chase this to conform to the follow
ing specifications:
Not less than 40 percent total
arsenic pentoxid.
Not more than OTIS percent water
soluble arsenic pentoxid.
DENSITY not less than 80 or more
than 100 cubic inches per pound.
Have your county agent send a
sample of your calcium arsenate to
the Delta laboratory. Talluiah. La,
for free analysis to make sure that
it is satisfactory.
Use only dusting machinery es-
peciaily constructed for cotton dust
ii;s.
Poison only when the air is calm
and the plants are moist. This
practically means making only night
applications.
Use about to pounds of cal
cium arsenate per acre for each
application.
Start poisoning when the weevils
have punctured from 10 to Is per
cent of the squares.
Keep your cotton thoroughly dust
ed until the weevils are under con
troll This usually means about three
applications at the rate Of one every
four days.
Then stop poisoning until th'
wecvils again become abundant.
If the weevils become abundan
early enough to injure your young
bolls. make one or two more appll
cations late in the season.
If you have a heavy rain withlf
"A hours after dustins. repeat thu
application Immediately.
Do not expect to eradicate the
weevis Poisoning merely control:
them sufficiently to permit ful
crop of cotton.
Keep yo,ir cotton acreage low ant
do everything possible to increast
your WELD per acre.
Always leave an occasional portion
of a cut imprisoned for compariso,
with the adjoining poisoned Mrract
This will show how m4aA. ys
increased your yield
If you are consid
write the Delta
lulah. La, for na a