The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1901-07-17
WILT DISEASE IN COTTON.
GOVERNMENT EXPERT is INVESTlGAT-
ING.IN GEORGIA.
Prof. Orion of the Agricultural Depart
ment Discusses the Disease.
Is New in This State.

Mr.. w. A. Orion, associate pathol-
ogist in the Uuited States agrlcultur-
al department., was visitor to Way
cross Friday. He stopped there as he
passed en- route to Boston, Ca, to in
yestigate the wilt" disease in the
cotton which is reported to have APP
peared near that place. He is q spe-
cialist in the culture and disease or cot
ton, and while in WaYcross repre-
sentative of the Savannah News Sc
cured an interesting interview with
him.
Mr.. Orion is a native of Vermont
and when asked why 1T was tnat
Vermont man instead of southern man
was assigned to the investigation OF
cotton culture and its diseases ne re-
piled that the government would be
more than glad to assign this work to
a southern man who had grown up IN
the cotton belt and was familiar with
the plant from native standpoint,
but there were no Southern men con-
nected with the department OF agrl-
cultural science; that the southern
colleges do not teach agricultural
science, and no southern man ever
made application for position IN that
bI anch Of the service.
CHARACTERISTIC OF THE DISEASE.
''In regard to the wilt disease, or
black heart as it is called IN many
places" continued Mr.. Orton, ut is
disease that has come into prominence
only in recent years, and its appear
ance in Boston, Ga, is the hrst thaC
h DC hoan noted in tniS section.
.sOnce it gets a start it appears IN
the same field year after year, and
gradually spreads. 1t is recognized by
cutting across the stem of the blight
ed cotton. the heart of the stem being
black.
"Itis caused by fungus in the soil.
1t enters through the water vessels
chOkes them up and shuts off the wa
ter supply, producing wilt. men IL
appears it is us3les to plant the laho In
cotton again, as it will take the ais
ease. 1t may be reduced by selectlng
from the field seed from healthy stalks
that have withstoOd its ravages ana
have not been affected, and by this
method may be eventually overcome
or broken UP in field. Indeed, there
is no other remedy. The fungus lives
in the soil six years, we know, ana per-
haps longer. Other crops may De
planted on the soil without Infection
but it may require many years 10
eradicate the fungus. In certain uls-
tricts of South Carolina it is out OF the
question to raise cotton on lands Where
the disease has got hold.
ATTACKS SEA ISLAND CHIEFLY.
"Wilt is most prevalent in SEA Is
land cotton, but occurs also IN snort
staple. The government is using
every means possible to destroy the
disease, and we are now importing ana
distributing a quantity of Egyptian
cotton seed, which is very healthy
variety of cotton and is not so much
subject to infection.
whenever wilt appears in a field
the farmer should cut off the part al
fected and not allow the pillow to drag
the germ from that part of the held 10
other parts. He should also communl-
cate at once with the department at
Washington, and the matter Will be
taken up"
A NEW SPECIES OF COTTON.
Continuing, Mr.. Orton said: The
department is experimenting with a
new Species of cotton, which is cross
between the sea island and the short
staple. 1t is the purpose to produce
cotton with the sea island staple and
stalk similar to the short staple that
will grow in all sections where the
short staple grows, and withal more
healthy plant than either. We have
been able to produce the cotton and
now we are trying to fix the type.
Any druggist will sell you bottle
of DR.. TichenOr's Antiseptic for QUO
] y nd tal ..nl1 tn ~ at IL is good for Tree 0.