The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-12-10
INSPECT ION LAWS
FOR Insecticides
IN STATE RAISED
Cotton States Commission
Commended Alabama Reg
ulationS For Insect Con-
troll to Other States
STATE CAPITAL BUREAU |
THE AGE-HERALD s
Montgomery. Ala, Dec. o


Alahama's laws providing for the
inspection and regulation OF insec-
ticides, fungieides and processes used
in campaigns against agricultural
pests were commended to the other
southern states by the cotton states
commission. which held its annual
meeting al Memphis, December 4 and
5. according to F. w. Gist. agricul-
tural statistician for Alabama, who
made an official report to Governor
kilby today on the work of the COM
mission Mr. Gist was delegated by
Governor Kilby as the commissioner
for Alabama.
The southern. states were requested
to enact uniform laws for the reg
uIation of the insecticides and par
ticularly for the control of the
qauility of calcium arsenate by in
spection and analysis.
Investigations Of the commission
showed that the supply of calcium
arsenate is limited and a committee
was designated to cooperate with
the United States department of agrt-
culture in finding ways and means
of obtaining an adequate supply of
arsenate in order that the needs of
the cotton states may be met dur
ing the next year.
Boil WeeviI Control
All cotton producing states also
were called upon to enact uniform
laws for the control of the pink boil
worm. which already has done seri-
Gus damage in some states and is
fast spreading to other states. The
laws OF Texas and Louisiana Were
commended to the other states as be-
ns the best on the subject.
Congress was urged to make a
larger appropriation for the bureau
OF entomology of the federal depart
nent of agriculture, which is seeking
to find means for the control of the
boil weevil. This pest has spread
into all cotton producing states and
the commission declared that the an
nua1 appropriation, which is about
100000. is wholly insufficient TO
provide for the prosecution of such
research work in as comprehensive
manner as the magnitude and se-
robustness of the problem demand
Gist's Report
In his report to Governor Kilby,
Mr.. Gist says in part:
The conclusions of the confer
ence were expressed in the reports Of
| committee on resolutions and a
committee on permanent organiza-
ton. l can best report those con-
illusions by quoting entirely the res
olutions adopted and by outlining the
plan of permanent organization. The
report of the resolutions committee.
which was unanimously adopted. was
as follows:
THAT in view of the possible
infestation in the future of new
areas by the pink boil worm. and
of the necessity for immediate and
drastic action in the event of such
contingency, we recommend that
all of the cotton producing states,
which have not already done SO,
adopt adequate laws for preventing
the spread of such insect pest That
for this purpose we recommend the
adoption of uniform laws in sub
stantially the same form as the pink
boil worm laws now in effect in the
states of Texas and Louisiana.
1T appears from information
| available that the supply of calcium
arsenate recommended by the United
States department OF agriculture in
4 connection with methods of boil
weevil control is very limited and the
price liable to be so high as to
render its general use impossible. 1t
is recommended. therefore, that the
ad interim committe to be appointed
by this conference be directed TO
use its best efforts to cooperate
with the United States department Of
agriculture in finding ways and
means of obtaining an adequate sup
ply of said arsenate at reasonable
prices in order that the same may be
| available for use by the cotton pro-
6ucers during the coming year. We
also recommend that action be taken
by way of uniform laws, or other
statutory regulations where no such
laws or regulations now exist, for
na mn Of % ar tn o. IN
federal government in safeguarding
the quality of calcium arsenate and
other insecticides by inspection.
| analysis or otherwise. In this con-
rection we commend the laws re-
letting to these subjects recently
adopted by the state of Alabama. We
| warn cotton growers against too
great dependence upon the use Of
calcium arsenate or upon any other
single means of meeting the effects
Of weevi1 damage, and would advise
the careful study of the experiments
of sections of the cotton belt which
have been fighting the pest for many
years. That cotton is being success
fully grown in so many areas in
spite OF the weevil, and only by the
use of cultural methods and better
seed, should encourage the more re-
Gently infested territories to continue
tho growers in such territory to Sc
cure or to use boil weevil poison.
I'VE recommend that an act
interim committee, consisting of the
commissioners heretofore appointed
by the respective states to this con-
/ ference. be appointed to carry on the
work of the cotton states commits
sion. including the work outlined in
the above resolutions. until the states
concerned have had an opportunity u
adopt the statutory plan of CO.
operation recommended by this con-
ference.
Calcium Arsenate Use
THE two salient features of these
resolutions to which l invite your
\ exceIlency's attention are the sugges-
ton for quick legislative action or
the part of the cotton states directed
to preventing the spread Of the pink
boil worm and that for the extension
of experimentation by state agencies,
supplemental to the work of the fed
eral deparemtnt. directed toward boil
weevil eradication or control. 1t was
felt by the conferees that the pink
boil worm is serious menace 10
cotton growing IL allowed to spread.
and that II is likely to spread at
any time, and that such contingency
must be quickly met with ready and
drastic legi slation. 1t was the con-
clusion also that the tremendous inn
portance Of the cotton growing in
dustry demands that all the cotton
| <centaased o. rage Two,