The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1881-04-22
solrE POINTS ABOUT RUST.
,a. ORANoEBuRo, s. c., April 4.

10 We EdHor or Cotton: The subject
OF rust In cotton will only BE- interesting to
those in this State living below the CLAY
belt We oil know that clay lands do not
rust cotton, but continue to mature fruit
until frost. Why they do this will be ap
parent rs we proceed,
whit 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 aud l have hea, some old farm.
ers say 1t always starts from pokcwecd grow
ing near the cotton.
Now, all these different opinions prove
concluslvely that this scourgc of our cotton
heids has been having its own way, not be.
cause there is no remedy for it, but because
The disease is 80 little understood 1t can
not &c for want; of vegetable pstter. in the
SOIL, Tor we rrequcurry see rurron- ruvs;..--:.
soils abund2ntly supplied with vegetable
matter. | will admit it does correct it to
Hunted extent. | have seen cotton almost
entirely destroyed by rust in bottoms, where
there was an abundance of vegetable humus
washed in from surrounding hills.
Neither. can moisture be the prevailing
cause, or the clay lands would also suffer by
rust in wet seasons and the same reason
may be assigned why cool nights do not
cause it. The pokeweed docs not grow
everywhere, and particularly about these
rusty cotton patches; therefore the blame
cannot be laid at its doors
Then If none of these oriuons advanced
are the cause of rust, what is it that causes
cotton to rust on nearly all the lands below
the cotton or clay belt? My answer is tho
want of sufficient potash in the SOIL And
now for the proof:
why does rust start and spread from a
pokewecd growing near cot: on Not solely
because it takes the disease from the pok G,
but because the poke has exhausted all the
voidable potash in the soil near it, aud tho
cotton near, being the first object to feel
the want of potash, shows symptoms of rust.
The analysis of poke and Irish potato vines
shows that they contain more potash than
any other vegeta bic product i've are also
taught that clay soils abound in potash,
hence the abs ,nce of rust in cotton on them
and in consequence Of their superior adapt
ability to cotton.
lu 1873 applied fifty bushels unlcached
ashes to an acre of land that had been rust.
ing cotton badly. The cotton remained
green until frost, and matured fruit to the
top, when the adjoining cotton failed to
mature any top crop, some of it dying W i,h
rust the first of September. That strip of
land has not rusted cotton since. The pot.
ash in the ashes was what the soil needed
to keep the cotton from rusting.
T 4".~ sn~-:-o y-------c L---I. .sn.
sack Of kainit or German potash salt on
one acre, through the middle of seyen>
acre patch Of cotton. The land had been
in cultivation four ycars-light, sandy, oak
land, and rusted cotton badly. In the fall
it was a pleasure to show this acre strip to
my friends, while the cotton on both sides
Of it was denudcd 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
Doticed the same results in similar expert.
ments. believe on lands thoroughly
drained (and no other kind should be plan
ted 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 be corrected in great measure, but
when lands are planted every year, and clay
is not near the surface, potash must be
supplied either ih unlimited amounts oi
trash and litter from the woods, stable ma
nure, ashes, or some of the commercial
preparations Of potash. F.