The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1901-01-11
THE WILT DISEASE.
Some Interesting Facts About tho
New Cotton Blight,
oFiMrEREsT TO FARMERS
investigation Of the Blight In
South Carolina Fields by
the United States
Government.

Government.
Tho United Statos Department Of
Agriculture has just published, as bul
lotin No. 27 Of tho Division of Vogota,
bio Physiology and Pathology, the re'
port Of w. A. Orton associate patholi
gist Of tho division, on tho subjoot ol
the wilt disease of cotton, blight that
has wrought groat havoc in tho Boa
island cotton folds and has attacked
aomo upland cotton districts in South
Carolina. Mr.. Orton and DR.. Erwin
Il. Smith, whose report on tho same
subject is roforrod to in this latest bul.
letin, visited this soction last year and
spent considerable timo in studying tho
disease and searching for romody.
The report is accompanied by several
plates showing tho effuot of tho disease
n on folds of cotton it has attacked
MIR. Orton says tho wilt disease is
South Carolina, whore it attacks the
line sea island cotton, and at Dilljns,
Sailors, and other places in the same
State, whore it attacks upland cotton,
Prof. Z. s. Earlo, of tho State ex-
perimcnt station, reports it to DO wide.
~ distributed in Alabama, particularly
in the southern part, and statos that it
is undoubtedly growing worso from
year to year. 1t has boon reported
from many localities in Goorgia, and is
known to occur in Florida and Arkan.
sas. 1t is oortain that this disease is
WILDLY distributed through tho South
orn Statos, and it is probable that it
OCCURS in many plaoos whore it has not
yot been distinguished from other trou.
bios, suoh 40 rust" and tho otfoots of
lightning.
Tho annual loss from tho wilt disease
is very considerable. 1t is moro koon-
ly felt by tho individual planters than
most cotton troubles, bocauso tho dis
case remains il the soil and Sro;,s
worse, with each succeeding crop. On
the sea islands Of South CaroliLa alone
careful estimate Indicates that nearly
if not quito, onothird Of tho land
plantod to high grade cotton is affected
by this disease, tho larger portion of il
so badly that it is no longer profitable
to plant it in cotton. Tho loss to the
planters Of upland cotton in areas af
footed and tho disease is spreading rap.
tionally groat. On ono farm in Dillon
8. o., whore the department has boor
conducting somo experiments, fiftoor
acres of fino land arc already affected
and the disease is spreading rapidly OF
this and adjoining plantations.
The Importance Of tho disease, how
ever, doos not lio 90 much in thu
amount of the present loss as in tn
danger Of it's future increase, for it mus
ultimately spread SO much as to ontai
far greater losses and possibly threatol
tho life Of tho industry unless tn
mothods for its control arc perfected.
Tho wilt is very distinct from an,
othor disease Of cotton, 30 that thor
neod be no difficulty in its identifioa
tion. 1t usually makos it first appear
ance in tho spring about Tao last of May
whom tho plants arc six to eight inoho
high. 1t appears in we'll de6ncd areas
which enlarge if cotton is planted O
tho Same land again. The first outwar
indication of its presence is dwarfc
growth and unhealthy appearance Q
tho plants. The leaves turn yollow bo
tween the veins, their margins shrive
up, and some plants wilt and dio at onoe
In other plants tho progress Of tn
disease is ofton slow, and many Of thor
live the entire summer and die late il
tho season. On outing across tho stcn
of q diseased plant, the woody par
will bo found to bo stained brow
wherever tho disease is prosont. In th
absence Of micro sc0pio examinations
this brown disooloration of ,he interna
tissue ls tho best ocular evidence of tn,
presenoo OF tho wilt disease. Plant!
may partially recover from severe at
tack OF tho wilt disease by the develop
mont OF strong lateral branches neal
tho ground. Such plants may be dis
tinguished by theil dwarfed and bush,
appearance and by tho tondonoy of thcil
branches to lilo prostrato on tho ground
The cause Of tho wilt disease of cot
ton 10 fungus, neooosmospora vasin
feota (Atk) Erw. Sm., which attacks
tho plants from tho soil II first enters
tho smallcr roots and subst qucntly
grows from thoso into the taproot and
stem, filling tho water ducts with It's
mycclium. The result is that the SUP.
ply Of food and moisture carried up
from tho roots is greatly decreased and
the symptoms described above arc pro
duced. Tho nature Of tho fungus has
beon fully discussed in bulletin No. II
OF this division, and it will not bo no.
oeBsary to ontor into details horo, but
only to outline the subject and to ro.
cord some additions to oar knowledge.
The progress of tho disease is alwa Va
slow as compared with that of othor
plant diseases. Tho period Of inouba.
tion, or tho time olapsing after the
young socdling is exposed to tho at.
tacks Of tho fungus and boforo the dis
case becomes manifest, is usually at
loast forty days and ofton much longer.
Much depends on the individual plant
itsolf. Tho conditions which favor the
progress Of tho fungus through tho plant
are not fully understood, but from somo
observations that havo boon mado it ia
believed that highly fortified plants,
growiny vigorously, suooumb moro
poorer than those which have grown on
readily soil.
In tho oarly history Of tho wilt dis
ease the cause was supposed by tho
planters to bo the excessive applica,
tions or injudioioua use Of commercial
fertiizorsa, and many Of the leading
planters in tho sea islands made caro-.
full experiments with various modiG.
cations Of their fertilizers, such as tho
use Of mari, salt mud, kainit, and lime.
and tho increase or docroaao Of tho
proportions Of prosphoric aoid and mt.
ash. Mr.. w. G. Hinson of ,Jamos Jal.