03-10-2019, 11:08 PM
I found some information on early uses of arsenic as a weed killer if anyone is interested - https://ucanr.edu/repository/fileaccess.cfm?article=163744&p=GZBXGG
Sodium arsenite
As I suspected this stuff sterilizes the soil, so while effective as a weed killer I don’t see a practical application for sugarcane except as a rodenticide as the weed killer sodium arsenite would also kill the sugarcane and sterilize the soil.
I still suspect the arsenic used in Hawaii’s sugarcane fields was for rat poison, not weed killer. Someone prove me wrong, I have no cross to bear, but am genuinely interested in Hawaii’s agricultural history.
Sodium arsenite
As I suspected this stuff sterilizes the soil, so while effective as a weed killer I don’t see a practical application for sugarcane except as a rodenticide as the weed killer sodium arsenite would also kill the sugarcane and sterilize the soil.
I still suspect the arsenic used in Hawaii’s sugarcane fields was for rat poison, not weed killer. Someone prove me wrong, I have no cross to bear, but am genuinely interested in Hawaii’s agricultural history.