Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-07-31
ON COTTON
WORKING IN
ALABAMA
PROF. w. >. ORION, OF THE DE-
PARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
MAKING EXPERIMENTS AT
TROY AND is PLEASED.

MONTGOMERY, Ala, July 3O.-Wil-
liam A orion, assistant pathologist IRON
the bureau of plant industry, OF the de-
partment Of agriculture. was here today.
He came from Troy. where he had been
to see his experiment station.
He is making q speciality OF the study
OF wilt in cotton. which has become,
such a serious problem to the planters OF
the south He has four acres containing
about 100 selections and % varieties OF cot
ton planted at Troy and he is much graf
fled at the results he has secured there.
Ex-Mayor Folmar has taken quite an
interest in the matter and has furnish
ed the plot of ground upon which the ex-
pertinent has been conducted. On account
OF the drought the results are perhaps
not what they would otherwise have
been - a-
Mr. orion said 20 your correspondent;
This disease is OF very serious import.
II has come 10 where the cotton crop or
the south is seriously threatened. 1t APP
peared first In South Carolina where the
finest grades Of sea island cotton are
grown. The disease became so trouble
some about four years ago that the peo-
pie there asked congress to grant them
special appropriation to pay for an tnves-
tigation OF the matter and to have experts
go into IT thoroughly. The matter was
taken up In earnest and these four years
OF experimenting have proven the reme-
"a variety almost immune has been
found among the sea island cotton, while
the mark is being approached by the up
land cotton. The sea island variety Is
planted in all the states troubled with the
diseases save Alabama, where the up
land has been planted"
Mr.. orion hopes to secure by next year
a goodly supply of seed which he can
distribute to the farmers. He has tried
every variety OF cotton he could find and
has found none that approaches perfec-
ton so nearly as does the Jackson. He
SAYS this is the highest grade-better than
the original which he began with.
Mr.. orion says the department Is exper-
imenting with breeding cotton seeking 70
get a longer and a finer staple. The object
is to get something to take the place OF
the fine Egyptian cotton which is import
ed. The progress in this line Is very graf
flying 20 the department. He says that
when the disease gets into a piece OF
land that there is no way TO get IL out,
no fertilizer that can remedy Il, no prepa-
ration that can be applied that will do
any good. the only remedy being to grow
an immune plant.
Mr.. Orion said that he was on his way
to South Carolina where he goes to lee
ture to the state horticultural society. He
Is 90 take up the subject Of disease in
pecans and Is TO &c TO Georgia TO study
that subject as there Is much trouble
there with IL. He is 20 make a study OF
the cabbage disease which has menaced
the interests OF south Georgians no little.
There are experiments on many other
lines going on, the most interesting per-
haps being that iof tea culture. Only re-
Gently, In cooperation with DR.. G. Z.
Shepherd. has the department produced
tea that is superior TO the imported tea
and II brings several dollars per pound on
the market. A regular tea farm is to be
begun in Texas next year by the govern
meat. The curing OF tea seems now TO be
the most perplexing part OF the problem,
yet a machine has already been patented
to cure II.
Mr.. orion viii return in October to see
his crop and TO make further arrange
ments for the continuance of the work
next year.