Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-07-11
POISON SYRUP
WEEVIL KILLER
DOOMED HERE
Experiments Being Con
Quoted Following
Reports

success in killing boil weevils else
where IN Georgia through the recent
ly announced method Of mixing cal
cium arsenate with molasses Jr sy-
rup and water, forming sweet ana
inexpensive mixture which attracts
the pest, great interest has been
aroused in the method here and cX-
periments are taking place in several
parts of the county, with good re-
'sulta, it IS said
j. e. ID. Shipp became interested
in reports of the method recently,
and sent his son, H. b. Shipp, of Au-
gusta, to the farm of Yancey hi!l,
large planter, at Cough, Ca, not
far from Augusta, to learn what had
actually been done there. Mr.. Hill
is credited by Mr.. Shi9p and others
with being the discoverer of The mo-
lasses method of weeWl poisoning,
beginning with his experiments las
season, and conducting them on a
large scale on his plantation this
wear. H. B. Shipp was here last
week, leaving forM his home Satur-
day, and repotted to his father that
the method vas an unqualified sue
cess and was eXterminatlng
the weevil on the Hill plantation.
j. l.. Kelley, of Tennilie, IS US
ing the same method on his farms
with great success. r. i. McMath,
of the Americus Oil company, VINO is
largely interested in the cotton indus
try as a large farmer as well as cot
ton seed oil mill operator, called Mr..
Kelley by long distance telephone for
verification of wonderful reports
concerning the method. He stated
that Mr.. Kelley assured him his use
of the mixture had been most sue
cessful, and that it was all that had
been claimed for it as an eXterGli-
nator of the pest.
A few days ago the county farm
agent of Troupe county announced
the result of some experiments with
the mixture conducted Under his su-
pervision. He stated that when ap-
piled to cotton foot high or un-
der, it destroyed the weevils com
pletely, but on cotton from IL to
"a inches in height is was less sue
cessful.
"The discovery is the greatest that
has been made in the interest of
the cotton grower" said Col. j. E. D..
Shipp, who stated that he had made
tests here and found the method a
real weevil destroyer. He placed a
green cotton stalk in box and put
27 boil weevils on the cotton The
poison mixture was sWabbed on some
of the leaves. Shortly thereafter "a
weevils were found dead and the 9th
er three inactive. In a field a stalk
of cotton with four weevils on it was
located. A leaf was splotched with
syrup poison. Later three dead
weevils were found under the stalk
and the fourth had disappeared.
Other experiments are said to have
results equally as favorably.
Method inexpensive.
The method is simple, easily put
into practice, and cheap. The cost
runs from 80 to SO cents per acre,
it is said. A mixture is made of 2
pounds of calcium arsenate, 2 gal
Ions of syrup or molasses and one
quart of water. The mixture is ap-
| lied by a small mop by hand to the
cotton leaf, each plal.t being touch
ed to get the best results. One man
or boy can treat two and one-half
acres in day, it is said. The Wee
wills, attracted by the sweet, and hav-
ing a keen sense of smell, lose no
time tasting of the poison, which is
instant death to them. Few appli-
cations are required during the sea-
son, it is said, the syrup in the mix
ture making the poison a good re-
sistant of rain.
So successful have the experiments
been in Laurens county and sur
rounding territory, that a movement
was launched Saturday at Dublin
among the merchants, operating
through the Chamber of Commerce,
to induce every farmer to adopt and
apply the method at once to his cot
ton, and arrangements were perfect
ed whereby the calcium arsenate
might be purchased at cost and on
credit if it could not be paid for, the
idea being to secure its use by every
| farmer.
Field Cleared
The success of experiments in June
by Mr.. Kelley. of Tennille, is told
in the Sandersviile Progress in its
issue Of June Is, the truth of which
was verified by Mr.. Kelley in his
talk with Mr.. McMath, of Amerieus.
In the article the Progress said:
"Mr. j. /. Kelley, of Tennille, is
trying the following remedy for the
| boil weevil:
SO pounds of calcium hrsenate.
"2 gals. syrup or molasses.
81 quart of water.
This is thoroughly mixed togeth-
er, and applied to the cotton wKh
mop. This mixture will cover
three acres.
st was first applied, Monday,
Tuesday morning the hands ON the
place reported that not a single boil
weevil was to be seen, although