The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1924-03-04
RESULTS OF WEEvIL
POISON ANNOUNCED
EFFICIENCY OF ALL FORMS
OF POISONING PROVEN BY
STATION AT Triton.

Last year at the Georgia Coastal
Plain Experiment Station. Triton. Ga.
several methods OF poisoning the boil
weevil were tested out, including the
following:
Calcium Arsenate Dust.
Home made Syrup Mixture.
Hills Mixture.
The Florida Method.
Two and one-half acres of land were
used for each of the different meth
DDS of poisoning. At picking time the
Yields were recorded from one acre
located in the center of each area in
order to eliminate errors which might
result from weevils feeding across ad-
Joining areas.
w. J. Davis, agronomist at the eX-
pertinent station, states that due to the
excessive rains and almost continuous
cloudy weather during the growing
season Of 1928 it was necessary to
make nine applications each OF calcium
arsenate dust, homemade mixture and
Hills mixture over a period OF sixty
two days; beginning May 10th, Just
before squares began to appear and
extending through July 18th, at which
time the migration of the weevlls was
well under way Three of the nine
applications of poison were washed OIL
BY rain soon after being applied. How
ever, the costs of all the applications
are included in the table which fol-
lows below.
On the area where the calcium ar
senate in the dust form was used the
first applications of poison were made
on the small plants by shaking from
tin cup which had a cheese-cloth
bottom. After the appearance OF
squares and limbs; that is, after the
cotton had reached some size, the ap-
plications were made with dust gun
The two and one-half acres used to
test out the home mixture were poiS-
oned with a mixture made up OF
three pounds of calcium arsenate, one
gallon of syrup and three gallons OF
water. This mixture was prepared by
pouring the calcium arSenate into a
tub or barrel and adding water until
a thin paste resulted. The. syrup was
poured into the remaining water and
stirred thoroughly. The syrup solu-
ton was then poured into a barrel
containing the calcium arsenate paste
and stirred carefully in order to pro
duCe a we'll mixed preparation. This
material was applied with a hand mop
to the cotton Immediately, care being
taken that it was stirred occasionally
as the applications were made.
The area receiving the Hills mix
ture was poisoned the same number
of times and in the same manner as
the area receiving the homemade
syrup mixture
The area treated according to the
Florida method was stripped OF all
squares on June 18th, and one appll-
cation of syrup poison applied. The
syrup poison used on this area was
made of two pounds of calcium ar
senate, one gallon of syrup and one
half gallon OF water No further poi
sonings were made on the Florida
method area.
1t was observed that the sweetened
poisons. applied with a hand mop in
the buds of the plants were effective
in killing the weevilS i'll the early
season This was doubtless due to the
frequent rains at this time. Later, at
ter the appearance OF the trst bios
SONS, the calcium arsenate applied IN
the dust form was the only treatment
which kept infestation down to the
extent that the cotton continued fruit
ing. There was little or no natural
control by dry weather and the results
listed below are fair indications OF
what may be expected OF poisoning
during a rainy and cloudy growing
season.
The results obtained lead to the
conclusion that the poisoning OF cot
ton for boil weevil control is practical
Bile and profitable when properly ap-
piled. During wet years more poison
ing will be required than when dry
hot spells during the growing season
act as a natural control Preparation
should now be made to control the
weevil during the present year. The
results obtained last year indicate that
poisoning should be started early, that
is, after the cotton is chopped and a
Jew days before squaring. AT that
time sweetened poison is suggested.
Two to three applications will prob
In n n n q 9 q q q u