36 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



performed, confirm tlie assertions of AudouarJ and 

 Diivy." 



If tlie small amount of arsenic that can be intro- 

 duced into the soil in the manner noticed above is 

 considered so dangerous' by these eminent observers, 

 what must be the eravity of the ease, as we have be- 

 fore said, where it is sowed broadcast over the field ? 



The mere dust of Paris green fallini; from the walls 

 of papered rooms will destroy health and life : how 

 much will it contribute to the health of the farmer 

 and his family, and to their domestic animals, to live 

 and work in an atmosphere filled with this dust, as it 

 must often be when it is set in motion by the wind? 



If animals are not directly killed by it, as is the case 

 in some varieties, may not their fiesh, as that of do- 

 mestic fowls, be rendered poisonous as an article of 

 human food? Individuals within our own knowledge 

 have been poisoned by eating the tlesh of the New 

 England partridge, which was due to the bird having 

 fed upon some poisonous berries. Similar cases, the 

 cause of which has never been suspected, may have 

 come from the source indicated aJjovc. 



We have now for microscopic examination a portion 

 of human flesh, taken from the body of one member 

 of a family, the whole of which perished from eating 

 poisoned meat. This specimen was received through 

 the politeuess of Dr. Murray, of the town of Flint, 

 Michigan. A case of arsenic poisoning, involving 

 some of the principles described above, was brought 

 to our notice yesterday. These causes are almost 

 every day occurring, and it would seem as if it had 

 become tlie duty of every one who has any knowledge 

 upon the subject to give it to the public. — K.U. Pipek, 

 64 Centre Avenue, Chicago. 



We publish the above (from the New York 

 Evemwj Post) not because we indorse it, but 

 because the question involved in it wa.s sug- 

 fiested at the February meeting of tlie " Lan- 

 caster County Agriculturiil and Horticultural 

 Society," and we desire to keep our readers 

 thoroughly posted on the subject, both pro 

 and con. 



There is no doubt about Paris Green being 

 a rank poison — indeed, if it was less than this 

 it could have little or no effect upon such an 

 injurious insect as the potato-beetle, or per- 

 haps any other insect; for, be it known that 

 all antidotes against noxious insects must 

 necessarily be poisons, at least to them, or we 

 could not reasonably expect any benefit from 

 their use. But that Paris Green or any other 

 mineral poison imparts its virulent qutilities 

 to the soil, in sufficient quantities to render Its 

 products unfit for edible use by niiiu or animal, 

 is not borne out by the experience of those 

 who have thoroughly tested it for the past 

 seven years in this country, and the opinion is 

 fast gaining ground that it is the only reliable 

 remedy that has yet been discovered, and that 

 when it fails, it is either owing to the inferior 

 quality of the poison or to its unskilled appli- 

 cation. Facts should always have greater 

 weight than mere speculation, especitilly when 

 those facts are the result of actual experiment. 

 Paris Green has been partially used for one or 

 two seasons in Lancaster county, and we believe 

 no case has yet occurred in which the potato 

 tubers have been poisoned thereby. In support 

 of its use we quote from a pamphlet recently 

 issued by Raynolds & Co., 106 & 108 Fulton 

 street, New York : 



IT CANNOT POISON THE SOIL. 



"Fears have been expre.ssed that the soil 

 becoming inijjregnated with Paris Green, po- 

 tatoes and other plants will necessarily absorb 

 it and partake of its poisonous qualities. If 

 this were so, it would be a valid argument 

 against its use; liut it is an insoluble salt, and 

 therefore it is quit* impossible for plants to 

 take it up (or absorb it) by capillary action. 

 The fact that many hundred tons of Paris 

 Green have been used in the West d ui iiig the 

 past four years, and there has been no instance 

 of poisoning caused by eating the potatoes, 

 should be suflicient to convince the most skep- 

 tical and set the matter at rest. We have to 

 thank Dr. Stiles Kennedy, of St. Louis Springs, 

 Michigan, for his voluntary testimony on this 

 point, which we quote from his letter, pub- 

 lished in the Ewniwj Post of January 7th, as 

 follows : 



" 'In the sectionof country wherel live, it isutterly 

 impossible to raise potatoes without the use of Paris 

 Green. Everybody uses it, and everybody eats pota- 

 toes, but during the four years mentioned I have not 

 heard of any case of poisoning from eating the vege- 

 table.' " 



WILL NOT INJURE THE PLANT OK POTATO. 



Others, again, while freely admitting that 

 Paris Green is perfectly innoxious as far as 

 poisoning the plant of the potato is concerned, 

 have entertained the oiiinion that it injured or 

 in some way retarded the growth of the one, 

 and vitiated the quality of the other. Expe- 

 rience, however, has abundantly proved the 

 opinion to be without foundation. Professor 

 CuAS. V. Riley, State Entomologist of Mis- 

 souri, in his fourth annual report, referring to 

 Paris Green, says: "Properly mixed, I have 

 used it without the slightest trace of evil yn 

 the leaves or tubers ; and I know hundreds of 

 others who have done likewise, so that with 

 present experience I should not hesitate to re- 

 commend its judicious use." In this connec- 

 tion we take occasion to acknowledge our 

 indebtedness to Prof. Riley's able reports for 

 much valuable information. We iilso refer to 

 the testimony of the same high authority to 

 Paris Green as "the remedy tor the Colorado 

 potato-beetle." 



MODES OF APPLICATION. 



In its application the Western farmers gen- 

 erally use Paris Green dry, and as it is a highly 

 concentrated poison it is necessary to mix it 

 with some other substance, such as flour, 

 plaster or ashes, in proportion vaiying Avith 

 the strength of the green, and thus reducing 

 its cost. We give the preference to tlour as a 

 vehicle, as, combining with the dew on tlie 

 plant, it forms a paste which adheres with 

 greater tenacity than eitlier plaster or ashes. 

 Another mode is by mixing with wtiter, say a 

 tablespoonful of green to a pail of water. 

 This is in some respects a convenient way, 

 and has the advantage of being free from dust ; 

 it can also be used at any time of day. It has 

 some disadvantages, however. 1st. As the 

 green is not soluble — though it quickly gives 

 a green tint to the water when stirred — it soon 

 settles to the bottom, and needs continued 

 agitation to keep it in suspension. 2nd. It 

 settles in spots on the ?ea"fs, the natural tendency 

 of water in finding its level being to carry and 

 concentrate in wherever a drop tinds rest, and 

 evaporates. 3d. Much of it is wasted on the 

 ground in sprinkling. Experience will of 

 course demonstrate which is tlie better plan, 

 assisted, perhaps, also by local circumstances. 



APPARATUS FOR .\PPLYING. 



When used dry, the best apparatus is either 

 a fine sieve or a perforated tin box, which can 

 be obtained of any size desired. We prefer 

 the l)ox as less litible to allow the escape of 

 dust, but whichever is used it should be at- 

 tached to a handle or stick from eight to ten 

 feet long. Either is used by gently shaking 

 over the plants, taking care to walk windward, 

 so as to avoid any dust that niiiy arise. It 

 should 1)6 applied in the morning, when the 

 dew is on the vines. When mixed with water 

 it is usually applied by fneans of an ordinary 

 watering pot, or spriidiled on the vines with a 

 broom, taking care to keep it well stirred. 



In addition to this we would suggest that 

 the handle need not be more than about six 

 feet in length, and that it be set into the side 

 of the box at an angle. Holding it over the 

 plant infested and striking on the handle with 

 a muffled billet of wood or a small mallet, 

 will enable the operator to cause the discharge 

 of the quantity from the box that each par- 

 ticular ca.se requires. This will be more eco- 

 nomical, prevent the loss of dust from shak- 

 ing, and discharge the green just at the place 

 where it is most needed, the more that falls 

 directly on the insects the surer the effect. 



ALL SHOULD KNOW ITS POISONOUS NATURE. 



Appreciating the danger arising from igno- 

 rance of the deadly nature of Paris Green, and 

 to guiird against carelessness in handling it, 

 the firm whose pamphlet we have been con- 

 sulting, have all their packages conspicuously 

 labeled POISON. And as further protection 

 they published the following : 



PRECAUTION IN THE USE OF PARIS GREEN. 



There is great danger in mixing this green 

 for the potato-beetle and cotton worm, owing 

 to the flue dust which arises in the process, 

 which is inhaled, and is rapidly absorbed by 



the pores of the skin, especially if the person 

 using it should be in a state of perspiration. 

 To guard against this, the hands and face 

 (particularly the nostrils) should be protected 

 as mtich as possible, and should be carefully 

 washed after working in it, or in any of the 

 preparations of which it is an ingredient, as 

 it penetrtites and j)oisons wood — gets into tlie 

 seams and crevices of articles made of metal — 

 and even in earthenware that is porous ; there- 

 fore, ALL HOUSEHOLD UTENSILS, OR ANY- 

 THING IN BARN' OR STABLE (whlcli cattlc and 

 liorses could have access to) in which the 

 article may have been mixed, or from which 

 it has Ijeen used, should be carefully set aside, 



and NEVER USED FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSE. 



Malignant sores are not unfrequently caused 

 by scratching the skin when itching, or irri- 

 tated from handling the green. It should be 

 constantly borne in mind that it is a more 

 dangerous and deadlj' poison than arsenic ; 

 and farmers, planters and others, when pm'- 

 chasing, should be duly cautioned to exercise 

 the utmost care in using it. 



AS A CURE OF THE POISON 



the free use of milk as a beverage is recom- 

 mended, but a simple and harmless remedy 

 may be found in Hi/dratcd per-oxide of Iron, 

 its tlie best, according to the pamphlet we are 

 following. Sores caused by the green should 

 be well covered with it, as with an ordinary 

 .salve, and a teaspoonful in a wine glass of 

 water should lie taken twice a day, internally, 

 whilst working with the green. This remedy 

 can be obtained from any druggist or chemist. 

 In conclusion, it is tilleged tluit color is no sure 

 criterion of the strenijth or purity of Paris Green. 

 A highly adulteiiited article may be made to 

 assume a deep and handsome color by the 

 admixture of cheap chrome green. 



The farmer must therefore depend upon the 

 integrity of the dealer in buying. The intensity 

 of color is said to depend upon the size of the 

 crystals and not upon the quality of the poison; 

 therefore, the deeper the color the larger the 

 crystals, which will not mix as readily and 

 intimately with flour, and is consequently 

 liable to be washed oft" the plant. The Iwtter 

 jilaii for farmers would be to buy the Paris 

 Green ready prepared for use, and from a 

 responsible dealer. Although the name of 

 this poison may never have been heard by 

 many of our readers before the advent of the 

 ])otato-beetle, yet it is by no means a new 

 substance. It is a compound of arsenic and 

 copper, and under the name of "Scheele's 

 green," has been long in use as a pigment in 

 printing wall-paper,' calico, &c., and in the 

 manufiicture of wax and other artificial flow- 

 ers. These facts have long been known, and 

 yet i)eo])le still continue to use green wall 

 paper ; ladies still wear green calico dresses ; 

 manufacture green artificials, and burn green 

 wax-candles. Arsenious acid, the most pois- 

 onous ingredient in the compound of Paris 

 Green, has been eaten in small quantities by 

 the inliabittints of some parts of Geniiany, 

 and has the etlect of making them plump in 

 body and sustains their bretithing powers in 

 the act of climbing hills, and other exercises. 



Its use for this purpose is, however, not to 

 be recommended, as when the habit is once 

 contracted it cannot be discontinued without 

 subjecting the victim of it to all the symp- 

 toms of arsenical poisoning. It is sometimes 

 also given to horses, and produces a sleekness 

 of skin not attainable by any other means. 

 Tlie English farmers use it e.xtensively as a 

 sheep-wash, and as a steep for seed wheat it is 

 also often emjiloyed. Indeed, it is used for 

 many domestic and medicinal purposes, and, 

 like many other substances, is "a good servant 

 but a bad master;" and those wlio have not 

 the intelligent caiiacity to subordinate it to 

 their use, had better let it and Paris Green 

 alone and do without potatoes. 



Finally, whatever plants and tubers may 

 absorb from the soil in which they grow, and 

 thus enter into their composition, there is thus 

 far no evidence in support of the notion that 

 potatoes are poisoned by the use of Paris Green, 

 and as soon as such a case comes under our 

 observation we will publish it. 



