THE COTTON WOEM OR COTTOX CATERPILLAE. 9 



by 20 inches and should be left open on one of the long sides. The 

 open margins are then tacked on the ends of the pole, forming a bag, 

 which is to be filled with the poison by means of a funnel inserted in 

 the auger hole. 



Care should be taken to determine whether the right amount of 

 poison is being applied. This can be easily done by weighing the 

 pole and sacks before and after a known area has been treated. 

 Unless this is done there is likely to be a waste resulting from the 

 application of too much poison, or it may be found that the amount 

 that is being applied is insufficient to cover the cotton. The operators 

 should be instructed to see that the poison falls evenly upon the 

 plants. If too much or too little is being apphed the amount can be 

 easily regulated properly by varying the amount of jarring of the 

 pole. It is important that the sacks do not come into contact \\-ith 

 the cotton leaves. If they do the poison will not pass through 

 readily and it will be found that the amount applied is too small. 



Arsenate of lead and the other arsenicals to which reference has 

 been made are violent poisons, but there is no danger in their use on 

 cotton if a few common-sense precautions are taken. The only cases 

 of poisoning of domestic animals knowTi have been where stock was 

 allowed to break into the cotton fields soon after poisoning or where 

 some of the poison was carelessly thrown upon the grass. The only 

 precautions that are necessary are to keep live stock out of the 

 fields after poisoning and to avoid throwing any of the poison on 

 vegetation that will be devoured by live stock. It is advisable in 

 some cases to muzzle the mules upon which the riders are mounted 

 when the application is being made. 



There is practically no danger of poisoning live stock after one or 

 two heavy rains subsequent to the application of the poison, .or, in 

 case no rain falls, after an interval of about three weeks has elapsed. 



The arsenical poisons aggravate wounds or sores on man or domestic 

 animals. Consequently all places where the skin has been broken 

 should be covered by some means, or at any rate washed carefully 

 after the work has been done. In order to avoid the possibihty of 

 injury to the mules, it is advisable to throw several buckets of water 

 over them after the work is done. 



For the control of the cotton worm the use of powdered arsenate 

 of lead at the rate of 2 pounds per acre is advised above all other 

 means. This substance does not need to be mixed with any other 

 material. Paris green, if used, should be mixed with lime and flour 

 as described. 



