ALABAMA
Agricultural Experiment
Station
OF THE
Alabama Polytechnic Institute
AUBURN
FIGHTING THE COTTON WORM
(Alabama Argillacea Hubn.)
CIRCULAR No. 10
August, 1911
W. E. HINDS,
Entomologist.
. F. DUGGAR, Director.
Opelika. Ala.
Post Pucis'-4n0 Comrany
1911
Fig. 1.-Dusting Pole and Bags for Poisoning Cotton Worms.
FIGHTING THE COTTON WORM
THE DUSTING OUTFIT.
The simplest possible method for destroying cotton worms, is
to apply a dry poison like Paris green, or better, powdered Arsenate
of Lead, dusted through bags carried at the ends of a pole or piece
of narrow board, by a man riding a mule. This covers two rows
at a time and 15 to 20 acres can be treated by one man in aday.
On moonlight nights the work might probably be continued in
cases of emergency.
Where many acres are to be treated, at least two poles should
be provided for each rider, and an extra helper can then keep one
filled and ready for each man to change without waiting when they
reach the end of their supply. A very convenient arrangement, as
shown in fig. 1, may be made from a piece of 1 x 3 inch board.
The length should be from 12 to 18 inches longer than the distance
between cotton rows. A large hole is bored in each end through
which the poison can be poured by using a large funnel. These
holesare closed with plugs or stoppers after the poison has been
put into the bags thus preventing any spilling or waste of the poison.
The bags should be tacked to the ends lengthwise instead of hang-
ing straight down. This gives a better distribution of the poison
over the rows,
Various kinds of cloth may be used to make the bags. If
cheese cloth is used, it will require several thicknesses to hold the
poison so as not to give it out too fast. Old flour bags, drilling or
duck, may also be used. In any case, determine how much poison
is to be applied and whether it is to be used alone, as in the case of
Arsenate of Lead or with some flour as with Paris green. The
amount of poison distributed will depend upon the tightness of the
cloth and the amount of jar or shaking given the pole. For dis-
tributing poison at the rate of three pounds per acre, a rather tight
cloth should be used and frequent light taps on the pole will give
far more even distribution than will an open cloth and occasional
heavy shakings.
4
A spring balance weighing up to twenty pounds is a convenient
help in keeping close track of the amount of poison being put out.
Weigh the whole outfit, pole, bag and poison, after the poison has
been put in and it is ready for the rider. After half an acre (an
acre is 70 x 70 yards) or any known area is covered, weigh again.
The difference in weight shows just exactly how much poison has
been put out on that area and if too much is gone for the rate desired,
either use heavier cloth for the bags, add another covering of thin
cloth or try lighter jarring. If Paris green is being used, the propor-
tion of flour to poison may be increased. If too little poison is go-
ing out, jar more heavily or use a lighter weight or more open cloth.
WHAT POISONS CAN BE USED?
There are practically only two poisons for the man without a
spraying outfit to choose between: Paris green and powdered Arse-
nate of Lead. London purple has been used sometimes but it is
too likely to seriously burn the plants and cannot be recommended
except possibly as a last desperate resort when neither of the others
can be secured. The man with a spray pump can use several other
materials such as Arsenate of Lead paste, Arsenite of Lime, etc.
Paris green is the oldest and best known material used for pois-
oning caterpillars. It may be obtained in small quantities of-local
dealers, but if needed in lots of 100 pounds or more orders will
usually have to be filled through wholesale druggists in the larger
cities or ordered directly from the manufacturers. Paris green
should be applied at the rate of about one pound of the poison per
acre. Unless evenly applied it is liable to burn the plants which
are dusted most heavily with it. To dilute it somewhat and espe-
cially to aid it in sticking to the plants, we advise using two pounds
of flour with each pound of Paris green. Two pounds of flour will
provide all the paste needed and more is just so much extra expense
and waste. The flour does not prevent the burning at all but does
form a paste which holds the poison on the plant better through
dews and light rains. Heavy rains will wash it off the plant any-
way. If a rain falls within twenty-four hours after Paris green is
applied, it is likely that the treatment will have to be repeated to
destroy the worms.
The difficulty in many cases may be to get Paris green at all.
In any case we cannot recommend the use of Paris green as strongly
as we do the next material which is a newer and less widely known
insecticide.
Powdered Arsenate of Lead was first made only a few years ago.
It is a very fine white powder having about one-half 
the amount of
arsenic in it that is in Paris green and should therefore be used 
at
least twice as strong as we use Paris green to secure the 
same kill-
ing power. It never burns even if applied to foliage in 
heavy doses
and sticks to the leaves very well in spite of rains. It seems 
to be
so very fine that it gets into the small depressions on the 
leaves and
the water runs over it. We therefore advise a dose of three 
pounds
of powdered Arsenate of Lead per acre when this can be secured in
place of Paris green. No flour or any other material 
is needed in
this case. Closely woven bag cloth should be used with this very
fine material. It is easier to apply this Arsenate of Lead evenly
than it is with Paris green and flour.
WHEN SHOULD POISON BE APPLIED?
Watch your cotton closely and frequently for the first signs of
worm work. These usually occur in the low wet 
places where
the cotton is rank. The cotton worm feeds on no plant but 
cotton
and few other worms do a similar work in "ragging" the 
leaves or
stripping the plants. The "first crop" of worms will usuallyappear
in spots through the field and not attacking all 
parts uniformly.
The worms should be poisoned at once whenever 
and wherever
they are found to be "ragging" the tops of the plants. 
At the time
of appearance of the "first crop" it will not pay usually 
to treat the
whole field unless the worms are found scattered through 
it. If the
"first crop" appears in considerable numbers during the last 
of July
or first of August and if the season is rather wet and cotton 
rank and
thrifty, then there is great likelihood of extensive damage 
from the
"second crop" which may appear in from 10 to 15 
days after the
worms of the first crop spin up. Every preparation should 
be made
in advance when such conditions occur so that 
the whole cotton
crop may be treated without a single hour of 
avoidable delay.
Make the dust poles, have the bags ready and 
the stock of poison
on hand. Such preparation is essential to the 
best success in con-
trolling these worms. One dollar expended in 
poisoning caterpil-
lars during August may save from $10 to $100 loss in the crop. It
pays to kill the worms early.
IS THERE DANGER IN POISONING?
Frequently we hear the idea expressed that it is 
dangerous to use
any such poison. Fortunately the danger involved is far more im-
aginary than real. Of course any poison should be kept safely
stored where children and farm animals cannot possibly get to it.
There is no real danger to a person in handling such dry poison
provided they keep it out of their mouths so as not to swallow 
it.
If sores or scratches are present cover them closely with 
plaster or
with a greased cloth to keep the poison out. The only effect of
poison on open sores is to aggravate them but there would 
be no
danger of fatal results in such a case. If a breeze is blowing so that
considerable of the dust must be breathed, tie a handkerchief closely
over the mouth and nose to keep the dust out. Do not swallow
the saliva after clearing the throat when applying poison. 
With
these simple precautions there is no danger whatever to 
the user.
The only serious result possible must come through the stomach.
After the work each day, curry the dust out of the mule's 
coat and
rub him over with a wet cloth to guard against sores forming from
the retained poison. There is little if any danger that stock may
be poisoned from eating the treated foliage and no danger at all
after a few weeks time. There is very little danger of rains carry-
ing the poison into streams from which cattle may drink and no
chance whatever of injuring the soil.
CAN FIRES OR TRAP LANTERNS BE USED?
Light or fire traps may be used as an aid in reducing the num-
bers of moths, but can never be depended on to take the place of
poisoning. Bonfires will attract many moths, but the heat is
great enough to repel most of them before they get singed and
killed. Trap lanterns work better than bonfires. Ordinary lan-
terns may be used for this work. On a barrel or some other ar-
rangement to hold the light higher than the tops of the cotton
plants, place a pan half full of water and with kerosene or coal oil
enough to cover the surface. Put a block of wood, a brick or sim-
lar arrangement in the middle of the pan to set the lantern on and
let it burn all night. Start these lights within a week after the
worms "spin up" and continue them as long as numerous cotton
moths are caught. Be sure that you are getting cotton worm
moths. To prove this, put a few of the leaves in which worms
have "spun up" under a tumbler in a shaded place and watch for
the moths as they come out of the webs. A great many kinds of
moths are attracted to lights and so there are certain to be many
moths caught which are not real cotton worm moths. Close com-
parison of those caught in the trap with those bred in the tumblers
x ill show whether the traps are really worth continuing. In any
case they can be only "helps" in addition to poisoning.
SUMMARY.
Have ready two dusting poles for each rider, the supplies of
poison, flour, etc., a funnel to fit into the holes for filling the bags
with poison and a spring balance or other provision for weighing 
to
keep track of the amount of poison being applied. Secure a sup-
ply of poison and keep it on hand ready for immediate use. Use
one pound of Paris green and two pounds of flour per acre 
or three
pounds of Arsenate of Lead alone. Apply immediately when and
where the worms begin to "rag" the leaves The most prompt
treatment is most profitable. There is no real danger of poisoning
to the person using these insecticides unless some of them get into
the stomach.
Stock will not be poisoned even by eating the foliage after a
few weeks and there is very little chance of poison being washed
into drainage streams in sufficient quantity to affect stock drinking
the water.. Trap lanterns may helpby catchirg moths, but THE
MAIN THING IS TO BE READY TO POISON WITH-
OUT DELAY WHEN THE WORMS APPEAR. ONLY
PROMPT POISONING WILL SAVE THE COTTON
AND PREVENT GREAT LOSS.
CIRCULAR No. 10, APPENDIX A.
ADDRESSES AT WHICH POISON FOR COTTON WORMS
CAN BE SECURED.
POWDERED ARSENATE OF LEAD.
Grasselli Chemical Co., Birmingham, Ala., or New Orleans, La. This
-Company has established several distributing points and can probably ship
:supplies from Birmingham, Selma, Marion, Tuscaloosa, Epes, Talladega,
Pell City, LaFayette, and Montevallo.
PARIS GREEN AND POWDERED ARSENATE OF
LEAD.
In small quantities these may be obtaied from many local druggists. For
large lots of 100 pounds or more, address Durr Drug Co., Montgomery;
Van Antwerp Drug Corporation, Mobile; Cawthon & Coleman Co., Selma;
M. A. Ellison, Dothan, or other wholesale drug dealers in the larLer cities.
This list of addresses is purely suggestive and by no means complete.
'Watch the papers for advertisements of supplies of these poisons.