The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1950-02-09
Cotton Insect Control
b = w. r. sullivan

Cotton Insect Control
AS you know, l949 was tn,
worst boil weevil year we hav,
had in a long time on cotton. 1851
stands to be just as bad or worse
according to our state entomolo
gists there are ten times more
and healthier boil weevils in hi.
bernation at present than there
were this time last year indicating
that unless we have some severe
cold weather during February we
are more than likely to have an
early infestation again this year.
Our state entomologist are re-
commencing early poisoning for
1850. Not only for the boil wee
vii but for the thrips, flea hop
pers, plant bugs and other insects
that are injurious to the young
plants from the time they come
up until the boil weevils damage
our crops.
! believe that two applications
OF early poisoning will pay off
even If boil weevils are not pres
ent. Thrips and flea hoppers re-
tard the maturity Of cotton from
ten days to two weeks thereby
making the boil weevil injury
greater in the latter part Of the
year.
Our state entomologist believe
that in the hill area and foot hills
OF the Delta that planting cotton
early, doing early poisoning and
getting a crop matured before the
migration time will be very bene-
fetal to the cotton crop in 1850.
For early poisoning it seems
that spraying is the most econo-
mical. Where using tractors for
cultivating spraying can be done
at the time Of cultivation and at |
any time during the day. How
ever, on small crops cultivated by !,
mules it will be necessary to use
busting equipment.
busting insecticides suggested
for 1850 are: per cent gamma
benzene hexaehloride plus s per
cent DDT with or without sui
phur. This mixture will control
practically all insects when used
at the rate of 10 pounds per acre.
If doing early poisoning and cot
ton is small you may use to 8
pounds per acre. In using 3 per
cent benzene hexachloride and 5
per cent DOT it is more satisfact-
tory for the operator applying
this poison to use this material
without sulphur as the sulphur
has a tendency to burn your skin,
eyes and nose and we do not re-
ceive any benefit from sulphur in
this area due to the fact that BIC
and DOT will kill the insects that
sulphur would kill and BIC and
DOT does not irritate the skin
like sulphur.
Other insecticides that can be
used are 118 which is aldrin. This
is relatively new insecticide that
has just come on the market but
has given good result. Toxaphene
is a rather slow acting poison
that has given good results in
good weather. 1t appears that in
this area under all conditions that
3 per cent BIC plus S per cent
DOT will do a better job at pre-
sent.
There will also be lots of liquid
insecticides on market this year
for farmers who use spray equip
ment. Gamma bemzene hexa-
chloride of emulsion has given ex-
cellent results in spraying. Toxa-
phene emulsion, compound l18,
chlordane and DOT have also
given good results where used
properly.
Secure Insecticides Early
Local dealers cannot possibly
secure or carry in stock enough
poison to fill all needs when every
farmer waits until damage starts
and then all want poison at once.
Poison is plentiful at present but
will be scarce and higher at the
time of application unless you get
your supply and store it now.
For every acre of cotton you are
going to produce you should buy
at least enough poison for 3 ap-
plications.