The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1922-07-20
Boil Weeuils Again
Endanger Cotton Crop

panic on account of the overwhelm-
ing infestation of the growing cotton
crop by the boil weevil.
The demand for calcium arsenate
to poison this pest has taken sud-
den squirt in consequence and despite
the fact that large stocks were car
ried over from last season, when very
little busting was done, it appears
that the supply available for delivery
before the busting season is over will
be far short Of the demand.
Many planters also decline to use
the poison as they claim it is too
expensive, notwithstanding that this
year it is selling from 9 to 12c per
pound, lower figure than ever be-
fore.
All of the calcium arsenate nc"
on the market is produced from the
white arsenic of commerce, which is
a by-product of the smelters in the
far west and abroad and the supply
of which has no relation whatsoever
to the demand. This limitation of
the supply of arsenic has, caused vio-
lent fluctuations in price and there
has been a prospect Of an arsenic
shortage should the use of calcium
arsenate continue to develop as ex-
pected.
The man who has been primarily
responsible for the development Of
this insecticide is B. R. Coad, ento-
mologist in charge of the Delta Labo-
ratory of the y. S. Bureau Of Ento-
moIogy at Tallulah, La, and such
progress as has already been made in
control of the boil weevil is due large
ly to his leadership as the command
ing officer on the field of battle.
In this connection the announce
ment is of interest that new process
has recently been developed in the
west by a former government chemist
Of high standing through which an
oxidized arsenical ore of unusual
character utilized to produce calcium
arsenate direct from the ore without
refining the arsenic, and at a
mere fraction of the cost of the man
ufacturing process now used with the
by-product commercial white arse
mic. s.
Production of this new process
will not be available for the current
season but it is expected that it will
be ready By next year and such de-
velopment will be of tremendous i'm
portance to the south.
To any close observer of the stu
alton it is evident that the ultimate
selling price of calcium arsenate is
controlling factor in the development
of its extensive use, also an unlimited
supply, which must be available. The
planter who has very heavy infes-
tation by the boil weevil, and who
could otherwise expect a heavy yield
per acre, will dust of necessity no
matter how high the cost, within rea-
sonable limits In sections where
the expected or normal crop is small
and if, and when, the cost of calcium
arsenic goes up instead of down,
and cotton goes down instead of up,
then that old elusive standby Of the
lecture room, "The Margin of Guilt
vation" becomes the deciding factor.
To further complicate the problem,
the arsenic market and cotton mar
ket move violently up and down
from year to year and will undoubt-
edly continue to do so.
The specifications recommended
for, the busting material, which must
be met and guaranteed on the maxi
er's label are mainly as follows: 1t
must contain a minimum Of. 40 per
cent. of arsenic pentoxide, As,O,; it
must not contain more than a mini
mum of rs per cent. of water soluble
arsenic pentoxide, and it must be of a
density of from 80 to 100 cubic inches
to the pound.
These specifications should not
present any difficulty to an efficient
manufacturing organization, but that
relating to the water soluble content
is complicated by the fact that under
some conditions Of manufacturing it
has appeared that the calcium arse
nate will test we'll below the rs per
cent. water soluble pentoxide when it
is made and later when a sample is
picked up in the south by govern
ment field agent, the water soluble
test will be considerably higher than
the limit allowed and the maker will
be in trouble.
AS a matter of actual value as
spray the total arsenic content might