Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-09-13
ANTHRAcNoSE IN COTTON.

The cotton plant Is developing in Geor-
Eia new disease. named by the depart
ment Of agricui ure at Washington. ID. c,
as Anthracnose. Whether the name i'm
plies the disease 20 be the work OF insects
or fungi the department leaves Us In
doubt. e. the explanation Of the new dis
ease Is somewhat veSue. and no remedy
OF specific Is suggested 10 prevent its tu-
ture appearance in our fields whether
the disease be from the sting OF insects up
on the bloom or the bon. certain IL is that
infected cotton plants are now presenting
q lad ,-lisht.
I have recently seen infected stalks OF
cotton with from % 20 40 hollis and
squares absolutely destroyed by the pres
ence OF this new disease The squares
and young boils were dying. whne the
F. matured boils had rotted and the unde-
veloped locks were falling out Of the de-
caying hulls Nothing heretofore coming
under my observation has been so disas-
arouE 10 the cotton plant. as in those To-
calities where the disease has made its
appearance this fail. A farmer last week
brought to me for inspection a box full
OF hollis gathered from his field, and which
presented the deadly Work OF the disease
fn all stages Of its infection.
Upon careful examination / found some
hollis with merely a small speck Of rot,
near the end. showing the commencement
OF the disease. In others the stages OF
d sease had advanced until the entire boil
had been converted into a soft mass OF
black rot. / had at first thought this new
infection OF the boIls TO be the work Of the
small ''sharpshOOter." but since the eto-
mologist OF the United States agricultural
department has given his opinion I Of
course admit my error From quite a
number Of counties we have had COM
plant and the disease seems TO be al
most general. especially in gray sandy
Erra IL
about the appearance Of anthracnOse in
cotton planted on the stiff red clay lands
OF middle Georgia
The worst infected stalks seen were
brought into Madison while was there on
the day OF the organization OF branch
OF the Cotton Growers association by the
producers OF Madison county. The owner
OF the field from which the infected stalks
were gathered had expected up TO a few
weeks ago TO make bale per acre on the
fnsrty-acre field The infected stalks indi-
Gated a reduction IN the yield OF from 50
10 Is per cent II the disease spreads a
remedy must be found TO check IL, or IN
der favorable conditions the entire crop
on q farm win be lost We as yet know
but little about 1t. what causes the dis
. ease. what conditions are most favorable
20 it's spread, or what remedy TO employ
10 check L.
One thing Is certain. a new disease.
called anthracnose. IS present in many OF
our cotton fields and its attack on every
boil means certain and quick destruction.
We might naturally presume that a
damp. wet sumner, such as has prevailed
IN this state during the past few months.
would Be favorable 70 its development
On the other hand. we are told by the
etomologist at Washington that II can
Z be propa gated from one year 70 another
by planting seeds saved from infected
fields. We are put upon notice that
planting seed saved from even the sound
hollis on infected stalks viii disseminate
the disease another year. This piece OF
information Is highly valuable. II should
receive the serious attention OF the far
mers IN all infected districts during the
gathering OF the crop this fall. / do not
think Il would Be advisable to plant the
seed from any field where the disease has
been noted IL would be better TO rot
the seed taken from such fields for fertil-
tEing purposes or let the OF mills have
them 70 be crushed In This way there
would be no danger OF perpetuating or
spreading the disease In neighb0rhoods
affected this year. OF course II great
care Is exercised and planting seed pre-
served only from such plants as are
free from the presence Of anthracnOse
then no risk viii be run But this will re-
quire the closest kind OF inspection and
unless the cotton affected is a valuable
variety It would be safest to destroy all
seed and buy others
Great Care Needed.
The cotton plant all over the south has
E been attacked during its different stages
Of growth by varieties OF insects and
fungi diseases this year. All during the
spring and early summer the farmers
Z in the Brazos river country Of south
western Texas had 20 daily hght the
dreaded boil weevil with a poisonous in
Eecticide. The boil weevil IL allowed 10
+ gradually spread over the cotton belt
which must eventually happen on ac-
count OF its migratory habits unless
checked. vii prove the most destructive
: insect with which the producers have