The Greenville times., 1889-06-29
DESTRUCTION OF C0rr0s.
An Unknown Disease Playing Sad Havoc
In Tennessee and Arkansas.
[MeInphls Avaianche.l

4 1A@A%ae-l
The cotton crop north of Memphis
Is curiously afflicted. A sort ofbIighl
different in many respects from any
other evil Of the sort ever known in
this region, has destroyed hundreds OF
acres of the growing plant.
The trouble set in about week ago
during the very warm weather. One
bright morning several farmers near
Osceola, Ark, found the plants that
had looked fresh and vigorous the
evening before blackeued and dead.
as II nipped by the frost. The de-
struction was not wholesale, nor was
II confined to any 'one plantation. The
blight was in spots, but each spot takes
in several acres.
Col. j. W. Jefferson, who has about
1000 acres in cotton near 0sceola. re-
ceived letter several days ago from
his manager giving the news. His
crop was unframed, the manager
wrote, but on some ofthe ncighboring
plantations the havoc was extensive.
On Mr.. Cowan's farm several hundred
acres Of the staple was dead; others
had Jared almost as badly.
Everybody had theory, but none
Of the explanations explained. Many
attributed the destruction to the frost
of two weeks or more previous, but
the frost would have been quicker in
Its action. Besides, why should some
crops suffer and others under exactly
SIMILAR conditions continue to flourish
Others said the trouble was caused
by the sun Immediately after the conf
ous rains. The cotton was scalded,
they said. But If the cotton in one
field was scalded, how about that over
the other way?
And both these theories were konck-
ell into a cooked hat by the curious cir
cumstance that the cotton which was
late in sprouiing was unharmed. The
planting was all done about the Goth
of April, and about two-thirds of the
seed came up in due time, notwith-
standing the drouth, but the other
third were more deliberate. They lin
gered until after the warm rains about
the hrst of June, when the belsted
plants pokcd their tender green heads
through the earths crust.
The Planters were naturally greatly
alarmed over the visitation and b,i.
siness panic was threatened in Osceola,
as II was feared the entire crop was
doomed, aud that meant harship for
a majority of the people In Mississippi
county. The blight did not spread.
havcYer. and a more confident feeling
has prevailed during the last few dave.
Some of the crops arc irretrievably
ruined, however, and one well-known
farmer Mr.. Cowan, was in Memphis
yesterday buying seed corn. lie said
he would plow np hls cotton aud see
what he could do raising corn.
The crops IN I.audordale aud Tipton
counties, Tennessee, were injured IN
the same way. A travelling man who
was In Dycrsburg aud Ripley last week
stated to an Avalanche reporter that
he heard Of several instances of fields
of cotton witherine in o single night.
On one plantation Of 800 acres ON Big
Creek not stalk of cotton remained
alive. In Tennessee, as in Arkansas.
the crop is ruined in spots.
No blight has been reported from
the country south Of Momphis. In
Tunica and Coahoma counties. Missis-
sippi, and Phillips, Desha and Lee
counties, Arkansas, the stands are
good and the fields are clear of grass