The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1909-10-27
BLACK ROOT FIGHT BEGINS
STATE STARTS OUT TO DESTROY
COTTON DISEASE.
Dawson Included in the Itinerary of
the Men Who viii Lecture the
Farmers ON tho Srhinn+

The state of Georgia has appro-
priated $4,000 for the destruction
of black root in this state.
This disease can be entirely Grad
lcated, and must be done before the
boil weevil reaches Georgia and be-
comes ravenous. If the two should
come together little, if any. cotton
will be made. For that reason the
fight on black root comes now and
will be vigorously pushed.
On December Bird there will be a
meeting in Dawson for the purpose
OF trying to educate the farmers
along the line of stopping the adj
vance of black root. The speakers
at this meeting will be Hon. J. l..
Lee, state president of the Farmers
Union; Hon. T. G. Hudson, commits
sioner of agriculture; e. L. Worsham.
state entomologist.
Hon. Martin V. Calvin, director of
the experiment station; DR.. A. M.
Soule, president of the State College
of Agriculture; Prof. A. C. Lewis,
assistant state entomologist, and 9TH
ers are assisting in this fight, and
one or more may be present at the
Dawson meeting in addition to the
gentlemen named above.
Black root has obtained a good
hold in this county, and unless Wig
orous methods are applied the cotton
crop will almost be ruined.
Every farmer in Terrell county
is interested in the fight, and there
should be packed house when the
gentlemn arrive in Dawson to make
their addresses.
A large number of farmers of Ter
rell and surrounding counties will no
doubt greet the speakers in Dawson.
We print below a letter from the
state entomologist relative to this
matter:
Editor of The News: In an effort
to eliminate black root or wilt dis
ease from the cotton fields of Geor-
gia we want to get in close touch
with the cotton growers and give
them the results which have been OBJ
tanned by the State Department of
Entomology in experiments for it's
control. We have discovered how it
can be successfully controlled, but
this discovery will be of little practi-
cal value unless we can get in close
touch with those who are interested
and outline in detail methods which
they will have to pursue.
The last legislature appropriated
$4,000 for black root of cotton, and
we want the names of all the cotton
growers in Georgia whose lands are
affected with this disease in order
that We can supply them with some
of the seed which we have developed
to the point where they are resistant
to black root. If they will cooperate
with us we can eventually eliminate
black root from Georgia.
The Mexican cotton boil weevil
will be in Georgia within four to
five years, and it is very necessary
for us to get this disease under con-
troll before that time; for two such
severe pests at one time will render
cotton growing improbable.
In order to reach as many cotton
growers as possible we have arranged
a series of meetings throughout the
districts affected with black root of
cotton. In addition to black root
other problems relating to cotton
will be discussed; such as boil rot or
cotton anthracnose; cotton rust, boil
weevil, red spider, improvement of
seed by selection, care and use of cot
ton seed and cotton seed products,
fertilizers, and the Importance of
using improved methods on the farm.
11e speakers at these meetings
viii be Hon. ]. L. Lee, state presi-
dent of the Farmers Union; Hon. T.
G.. Hudson, commissioner of agricul-
ture; e. L. Worsham, state entomolo-
gist; and we will have with us from
time to time Hon. Martin Calvin, di-
rector of the Georgia Experiment
Station; E. Gentry, U. s. Department
of Agriculture; DR.. A. NJ. Soule, pres
ident of the State College of Agri-
culture; A. G. Lewis, assistant State
EntomolOgist, and others. We want
every farmer and every one who is
willing to cooperate with us in this
work to be present at these meetings.
Very truly yours,
Il 7 WNpCIIANE