The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1922-02-16
SWEETENED POISoNS
The Carefully Studied Experiments
Show No Real Merit

ers have no material merit in making
poison spray stick to the cotton plant,
hat no material advantage seems vet
to have been secured by the use Of
| 'weetened poisons in carfully conduc-
led experiments; and that calcium ar
nate in dust form after careful study
f the conditions and requirments fo,
poisoning is advisable-these sum up
the recommendations of the entomolo-
gists, says Prof. A. F. Conradi, in u
statement on the much discussed sub
ect of sweetened poisons for boil
weevil control.
Little baby "Poison Sweet" was
oorn in Texas, says Prof Conradi,
shortly after the weevil crossed the
Rio Grande in 1892. 1t could not
thrive there and had to wander east
"ard with the weevil, because only
The residents in newly infested ter
rltory would entertain it. South Caro-
lima is entertaining it now.
Numerous formulas and recipes for
making sweetened poisons for boil
weevll control are being recommend
ed and Il number of commercial
brands of sweetened and liquid pois
onS are appearing on the market.
Equally numerous devices are put
forward for applying these liquids
i1d pastes. Catchy expressions in
connection with some of these for
.Tulas include "sticker'' and "secret
binder" which convey the impression
that these mysterious discoveries will
cause the material TO stick to the
plant and remain good until eaten by
the weevil. Whether the poison is ap-
Piled as q spray or dust the rate of
decomposition goes forward in the
same manner and as a weevil poison
lasts about four days.
Binders and spreaders are in use
by eatomologists and serve useful
purpose under certain conditions in
binding the spray ingredients and Civ
ing body to the spray, but they have
no material merit in making the spray
stick to the plant. .fKe fundamental
condition that makes the spray or the
powder stick to the plant is fineness,
and the finely divided spray oT dust
properly applied has most effective
sticking power.
Demonstrations to show the sticki-
ness of substance by pouring it
from sprinEling pot have 70 semb-
lance whatever to a natural rainfall
where the drops travel downwards
hundreds OF feet before they strike
plant.
No material advantage has yet been
secured from the use Of swcetened
poison in careful conducted expert
ments throughout the last twenty-five
years, except APPARENTLY in one in
stance when applied the very young
plants in hot, dry weather, which by
itself would have little significance. In
this experiment the weather was
against the weevil, and as no evidence
has been secured so far that the weev-
il is attracted by any sweet, it may be
assumed that the weevil was attracted
by the 'droplets of moisture.
Our recommendations, are based al
together on the results secured from
carefully conducted experiments re-
gardless of who made them, provided
it was qualified experimentor who
made provisions for determining by
checks the value of the various fac
tors that entered into the problem.
Careful Study of Situation Advised
In our recent Office letter, "Bon
Wecvil Poisoning in 1922" we set
forth rs accurately as we could the
conditions under which poisoning may
be expected to pay We confne our
selves 10 the use of calcium arscnate
IN dust form, on account OF the avail
able records Of positive results and
also on account of the comparative
economy in time and labor. We rec.
ommcnd that every farmer who in
tends to use poison obtain immedi-
atcly full information in regard to
the use of poison, as well as dusting
machines, and study the problem with
the greatest care and effort. A care
full study of the method and condi-
tions under which poisoning may be
expected to yield profitable results
constitutes the first step in poison
ing program. Anyone not willing to
DO this we are sure, makes a mistake
to invest money in poisons or ma
chine. Manufacturers are now study
ing the probable output for 1922,
and those desiring to learn something
about the matter should not wait un.
til the last moment to purchase ma
chine, because they may upset the
entire poisoning problem. A definite
col nj 60