The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1901-01-30
grown on healthy land and also showed
. smaller number of root tufts.

Il
sistsnce to disease is transmissible
through the seed to succeeding genera
tions. An experiment dosig ned to settle
this point proved . re IN ,rksble sGccess.
1t was carried out by Mr. Elias l.. Riv-
ers, Of James Island, 8. O., Who seleote ed
. healthy plant of sea island cotton that
grew in badly blighted field in 1899
The seed from this resistant plant was
saved and planted in Q siogle row
through field that had been inf, cted
with the wilt disease for several years,
The adjoining rows we're planted with
seed from his main crop. grown on nou-
infected land. The wilt disease made
almost q clean sweep through the ordi
nsry cotton, 20 per cent of the plants
being killed, while in tho row planted
with seed from the resistant plant not
a single plant was killed by the wilt
disease.
| These plants were vigorous and pro
ductivs. The dwarfing noted iu E yp-
tian asd upland cotton grown by the
writer on infected land at Dillon, s. o ,
was not go marked here. The quality
of ths lint good, though not equal to
| the crop from which the selection WAS
| WsuO' II 10 poiiSNCu. uUHeNeT, tn6V OY
continued GROSS breeding and selection
in succeeding years the quality Of the
cotton may be improved without loss of
resistance to the wilt disease. Work
along this line has already been started
in small way by the department,
which it is hoped may be enlarged.
1t has been shown that much can be
accomplished IN the control of the wilt
disease of cotton by simply selecting
seed from resistant plants. 1t IS very
probable that better results will be OBJ
tanned by CROSS breeding these resistant
individuals, for in this way the resis-
tant qualities of two plants will be
| combined aud there will be added the
increased vigor which usually comes
from Q. ,ssing. On the other hand, if
the flowers Of resistant cotton plant
should be fertiliEed by pollen brought
by insects from . diseased plant, as
| may easily happen in the field, plants
grown from the resulting seeds will
very likely be less resistant than IL they
had been fertilized by pollen from an
| other resistant plant On this account,
in the selection Of resistant races, it will
be desirable ID cross by hand rs many
flowers rs possible In order to increase
the chances Of success.
In connection with the work Of the
department large number of CROSSES
between resistant plants have already
been made. 1t has been our aim to Sc
cure resistant claims from our conmon
races by cross fertilixing plants Of the
same race, and at the same time to in.
crease the produetivenes, and improve
the quality by selecting the best plants
Ct each sort for breeding.
The fsST thstsrne T<<yptian scttons
arc resistant to the wilt disease ~ ~ led
70 tho attempt to produce . resistant
long staple upland cotton, by hybridis-
ing resisrant plants Of the common up.
land races with the Egyptian cotton.
\ L - rerg desirable that everyone who
undertakes the breeding Of resistant
cotton should at the same time pay
| great attent on to securing o more pro
ductive race and finer quality of
| staple.
CONCLUSION.
There is q great promise of a sue.
oessful remedy for the cotton wilt dis.
ease 10 selection of seeds fr I'M healthy
plants growing on Infected soils and
by continuing to select aud cross breed
the most resistant plants In succeeding
crops with view both to resistance
and quality of staple.
1t would be we'll In the case of up.
land co,ton to start with a race like the
jackson, which is already highly re.
sistaut, and improve and FIX the quality
by careful cross breeding and selection.
In places whore this cluster type OF
cotton 10 undesirable . res slant strain
OF the Sorts commonly cultivated oan
probably be obtained by cross breeding
and sele ction. IL is hardly to te ex
peoted that this process will result il
p'rieotly Immune race the FIRST year
Even though much OF the cotton be
come diseased, the selection should b.
continued each succeeding year un ii
the quality OF Resistance is fixed.
Ia the case of the sea island cotton,
where length and ine quality Of staple
are essential, the PROCESS of Selection
and breeding should bs the same. Re
sistancc TO disease must be the primary
requisite, and from the resistant plant
those bearing the finest lint may b,
selected.
The Egyptian oottons will probably
prove of the greatest value when cross
cd with our upland races 80 rs to ado
the vigor and quality of the former t
the produotiveness Of the latter. 1t i
hoped that the department will be abl
to extend its work along this promising
line.
In diition to seleotion.for resistance
all practicable preventive measure
should be applied. Rotation of crops il
even moe important on these infected
soils than on healthy ones, for the con
tinual growing of cotton on these land
will increase the amount Of disease anc
decrease the resistance of the cotton.
Prompt destruction Of diseased plant
is also very important. Every cffor
should be made TO avoid the infeo lion o
healthy fields by animals, tools, wasl
water from diseased fields, disease,
plants, infected compost, etc. As al
ready stated, land oHos infected witt
this disease remains infected fer an an
kRswn period.