The Orangeburg democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1879-1881, 1879-08-08
Rust in Cotton.
OrangeJurg Democrat:

oiiiy 5a interesting TO those in the
county living below the clay belt.
We all know clay lands do not rust
cotton, but continue 10 mature fruit
until frost. Why they do this will be
apparent MS we proceed. What is
rust in cotton? Some will tell you
it is want Of vegetable matter in
The soil ; others that it is caused by !
an excess OF moisture others again
that cool nights produce it, and ]
have heard some old farmers say, it
always starts from poke weed grow
ing near the cotton. Now all these
different opinions prove concluslvely
that this scourge of our cotton fields
has been having its own way, not be-
cause there is no remedy for it, but
because the disease, if l am allowed
the term in this connection, is so lit
tie understood. 1t cannot be for want
of vegetable matter in The soil, for
we frequently seq cotton rusting in
soils abundantRy supplied with vcgc-
table matter. HI admit it does cor
rect it to q limited extent. l have
seen cotton almost entirely destroyed
by rust in bottoms, where there was
an abunance of vegetable humus
washed in from surrounding hills.
Neither can moisture he the prevail
ing cause, or the clay lands would
also suffer by rust in wet seasons;
and the same reason may be assign.
ed why cool nights do not cause it.
The poke weed does not grow every
where, and particularly about these
rusty cotton patches, therefore the
blame cannot be laid at its door.
Then if mono Of these opinions adj
vanced arc the cause Of rust, what is
it that causes cotton to rust OH near
ly all the lands below the cotton or
clay belt? My answer is the want of
sufficient potash in the coil. And
now for the proof. Why does rust
start and spread from n poke weed
growing near cotton! Not solely be-
cause it takes the disease from the
poke, but because the poke has cx-
haustcd all the available potash in
the soil near it, and the cotton near,
being the first TO feel the want Of pot
ash, show symptoms Of rust. The
analysis of poke and Irish potato
vines show that they contain moro
potash than any other vegetable pro-
duct. We are also taught that clay
soils abound in potash, hcEcc The alb
scnce Of rustin cotton on them, and
in consequence their superior adapta-
bility TO cotton. In 1873 applied
fifty bushels unleaohed ashes to an
acre Of land that had been rusting
cotton badly. The cotton remained
green until frost, and maturea fruit
to the top, when the adjoining cotton
failed to mature any top crop, and
some Of it dying with rust the first OF
September. That strlp OF land has
not rustcd cotton since. The potash
in the ashes was what the soil needed
to keep the cotton from rusting. The
following year one of my hands put q
sack Of kainit or German potash
salt on one acre through the middle
Of seven acre patch Of cotton. The
land had been in cultivation four
years, light sandy oak land and rust
cd cotton badly. In the fall it was q
pleasure to show this acre strip TO
my friends, | think you, Mr.. Editor,
saw it,) while the cotton on both
sides Of it was denuded of leaves and
all the top bolls dead before half
grown. This acre remained green
until frost and matured its fruit to
the top. This last experiment itself
was evidence conclusive TO my mind
that potash was the remedy for rust
in cotton. have since noticed the
same results in similar experiments.
l believe on lands thoroughly drain
ed, (and no other kind should be
planted in cotton,) and not entirely
destitute of vegetable matter potash
in every instance will correct the
tendency TO rust in cotton. BY rest
and rotation the tendency to rust
can he corrected in great measure,
but when lands are planted every
year, and clay is not near the surface,
potash must be supplied either in un-