The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-06-21
CAUSE OF THE DECREASED
PRODUCTION OF SEA ISLAND COTTON
Unfavorable Weather, Defective Agricultural
Methods, Plant Diseases and Anthracnose

Blackshear, Ga, June 20.-COmcern-
ing the present low state of the sea
island cotton Industry, Mr. w. A. Or
ton, pathologist, Bureau Of Plant In
dustry. United States Department Of
Agriculture. has written an interest
ing letter to Mr.. A. P. Brantley. pres
ldent Of the A. P. Brantley Company
large dealers in sea island cotton. Of
this place.
Mr.. orion has charge of the expert
mental work with sea island cotton
being carried on here this season. for
the purpose Of discovering remedies
for the various diseases to which the
plant Is subject and which have played
so important a part in the decreased
production per acre of the staple dur
ing the past several years. Referring
to the causes which have eonspired to
bring about a decreased production of
sea island cotton. Mr.. Orton says:
zone Of these has been unfavorable
climatic conditions. AS a rule. too
much stress is laid on this point by
the farmers, and many losses caused
by disease or other troubles are at
tributed entirely to the weather. New
ertheless, there Is no question that the
weather conditions were very unfavor-
able last year and that with a good
season a larger crop could be produced
even BY present methods.
"A second cause Is the defective ag-
ricultural methods now practiced. The
sea island planters have not, as a
rule, adopted the best system of farm
ing. They should practice more ro-
tation of crops, particularly with le-
gumes for soil Improvement. They
should have more and better farm i'm
pleTnents. pillow deeper, fertilize more
nationally, plant better seed, diversity
their crops, and combine stock raising
with cotton growing.
Plant Diseases.
Third. Plant diseases play an i'm
portant part in restricting the produc-
ton There are several troubles that
prevail to a considerable extent. The
wilt disease has become widespread in
Southern Georgia and Northern Flor
ida, and has greatly lessened produc-
ton In affected fields, and restricted
the area that can be planted with the
certainty of producing a good crop.
This disease is caused by a soil fun
gus. which remains in the land for
period Of several years even when cot
ton is not planted. 1t kills the plants
in spots of varying size UP to areas OF
several acres. The cotton willis and dies
when partially or fully grown. No rem
edy Is known, but wilt-resistant varie-
ties have lately been developed by this
department and their cultivation is
proving the solution Of the problem.
They have not as yet geen grown on
a large enough scale to furnish sum
cient seed for general cultivation,
though there is a good. deal planted
on the sea islands of South Carolina,
where the same disease occurs The
root-knot Is another disease that fire.
quently occurs in connection with wilt
on sandy land, resulting in great in
Jury TO cotton and in an increased loss
from wilt. This disease Is caused by
minute eel-worm or nematode, which
attacks a number of farm crops and
vegetables.
at has long been the practice of
farmers to plant cowpeas in rotation
with cotton for the purpose of soil
improvement. We now know that cow
peas are very susceptible to root-knot,
and we find that much harm has re-
suited to cotton from their general Gull
tivation. 1t is highly important that
the farmers should be brought to know
this danger. They should also know
that there is one variety of cowpea,
the Iron, that is not subject to the
root-xnot and that several other crops
are equally as good for forage and soil
renovation.
Rust is a common disease in sea is
land cotton, though entirely prevent
able. 1t results in a great annual loss
both from the decrease I'm the crop
and the deterioration 1t causes
through weakening of the staple. 1t
is brought on by the cultivation of
land in cotton continually with insult
ficient fertilization. 1t indicates lack
of humus and potash In the soil or in
sufficient drainage. Proper treatment
will effect a cure and make this land
as productive as any For this purpose.
rotation of crops, blowing in legumes,
an increased amount of potash in the
fertilizer, etc, are necessary.
Disease of the BoIIs.
"A fourth trouble is anthracnose, a
disease of the bolls, which Is much
worse In wet seasons. No positive rem
edy for this is known. though inves-
tiRations are in nroereSS 70 detarn1ine