The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-08-30
A NEW ENEMY OF COTTON.
PEST DESTROYING FIELDS IN
WARREN COUNTY.

WARREN (OtNTf.
Hust, Unknown to Farmers There,
Kills the Matured BoIIs-Entire
Fields Are Ruined and Every Va
riety Is Anected-Grave Apprehen-
sion is INSTRUMENTATION Now In
Progress.
Warrenton, Ga, Aug. 29.-The farm
ers of Warren county are alarmed at
the appearance of a new and to them
strange disease which threatens rapid
destruction to the already matured
bolls.
Mr.. c. w. Gheesling of Warrenton
has a large field of cotton, about two
miles east of the town, which is al
ready almost a total loss. To a casual
observer passing along the road the
field would appear to be as handsome
piece of cotton as could be found in
a days ride, with every indication of
yielding a bale to the acre. A close
inspection reveals a sad state of af-
fairs.
In company with Mr.. Gheesling, the
Morning News correspondent visited
a thorough inspection. The entire field
of about twenty acres appears to have
been struck with a blight. which does
not affect the stem or leaves in the
slightest, but which is ruinous
to the bollS. The cotton in
this field is of the christopher Prolific
variety, the seed having been obtained
by Maj. C. E. McGregor from Screven
county. 1t was planted on very rich
land which had been brought up to a
very high state Of fertilization by
penning beef cattle. Ammoniated and
acid phosphate had also been used in
preparing for the crop, together with
cotton seed meal.
The cotton is well grown, the bolls
being many. large and fine. 1t is not
an uncommon thing for cotton bolls to
rot where the weed is oVergrown and
the stalks crowded together, but in this
case the weed is of only average size
and the stalks have ample room. Be-
sides, it is the top crop which has full
exposure to the sun, which is most af-
fected.
The disease does not resemble any
with which the farmers of this section
are familiar. Careful examination un-
der the microscope fails to reveal in
sects or yermin of any kind, and it is
impossible to tell whether the disease
originates from within or without. 1t
first appears as a small reddish brown
spot near the apex of the boil and
rapidly enlarges. To the Impractical
eyes the disease in it's first stages re-
sembles merely the healthy reddish
brown caused by the stain of the fading
bloom. The spot soon becomes soft
and spongy, and as the disease ad-
vances a dark mold forms. In some
cases the mold takes a white, chalky
appearance. but as a rule is of a dirty
brown.
Mr. Gheesling first noticed the appear
ance of the disease about two weeks
ravages have increased so
rapidly that from one-half
to three -fourths of all the bolls are af
fected. The average is about 25 bolls
10 the stalk and whole stalks were cut
up on which every boil was affected.
All except the most mature bolls are
attacked. The young bolls shrivel up
and cease growing. The older bolls
soften and the cotton inside becomes
pulpy. with a light brown stain.
That the disease is not due to the va
riety of cotton planted is evident from
the fact that just across the road from
this field Mr. Gheesling has another
field of the ordinary black seed cotton,
which is attacked in a similar manner.
Adjoining this field Mr.. w. c. English
has a splendid field of cotton of the
King variety. which has not the slight
est indication of the disease. 1t is not
so far advanced as that of his neigh
Dor, and the disease appears to prefer
the matured cotton.
Several other farmers have reported
conditions similar to those in Mr..
Crossings cotton, but none where the
ravages are so great Several stalks
of the diseased cotton were expressed
to-day by Maj. McGregor to the Com
missioner of Agriculture, with a re-
quest for examination and a report up
on the disease. Should so destructive
disease become at all permanent
throughout the South the loss to the
cotton planters would be incalculable.