Sproul's Dusting machine in operation, 1921

Collection of images in glass and film negative format, produced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (U.S.D.A.) at its branch laboratory at Tallulah, Louisiana, under the direction of entomologist B.R. Coad. The images document the U.S.D.A.'s boll weevil eradication experiments using first lead arsenate, and then calcium arsenate. "Methods of applying calcium arsenate by air and by airplane and by ground machines were worked out at Tallulah. Many investigations were carried on there in the effort to find other means of combating the boll weevil". The bulk of the images document investigations carried out at Tallulah, including those done at Shirley, Algodon and other plantations, and at other Louisiana locations. Some 52 images depict experiments which were done in Mississippi at: the Delta and Pine Land cotton plantation at Scott; Warren Plantation at Rosedale: Scotland Plantation at Beulah: Virginia Plantation at Lobdell; Dunleith Plantation at Dunleith. Other places included are: Panther Burn Plantation at Luna Landing, Arkansas; farms at Roosevelt, Hearn, Ozona, Victoria, Texas and Mexico. Many images were not identified by place. The images show many different types of agricultural machinery, especially cotton industry machinery. Also included are air photographs relating to airplane dusting operations, which depict cotton fields, individual residences, scenes around Louisiana and Mississippi places, and plate tests on clouds. Some miscellaneous images include views of research plots, plant toxicity studies, the Tri-Parish Fair at Tallulah, a convention of entomologists, the Delta and Talullah laboratories; a Louisiana picnic given by the Levee Board for African-American levee workers after the levee held back the waters during the 1922 flood. Collection comprises 1018 glass negatives and 502 film negatives.