Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-10-26
#iseellaueoas gsadins.
DEVASTATION OF ANTHRAcNosE
ciemson College Experts Make Alarm
ino Report.

Il starting In ltS mature dliu VI 'iso
Importance Is the announcement tina
comes from Clemson college to the Ell
feet that the cotton anthracnose Ii
lcausing a loss to the state OF nearly 80,
OOO, 900 annually. More startling still Il
The statement tnat the disease Il
spreading rapidly and that many OF tn
farmers of the state, in all sections, ar
losing from one-fourth to one-half
their crops.
The announcement came recently II
the nature Of letter from II. w. Barre
the botahist at Clemson, to Commls'
sioner Watson, who made g. reQues
Tor a report on the investigation OF th'
cotton anthracnose while on a recen
visit to the institution.
During the past year the experiment
station at Clemson has made thorough
and exhaustive study Of the rayages o'
the anthracnose and have collected date
of a conclusive and convincing nature
which shows that something must oe
done to check 1t and must be done al
once.
I'm the majority of cases." says the
tatter, the original infection can be
traced to seed Of some so-called Inn
proved variety purchased from SEED
nouses or Individual cotton breeders
I'm a number of cases anthracnose mas
appeared this year where cotton has
not been planted before. The seed
which were used in planting the fields
when they could be obtained were
found to contain the anthracnose run
gus. We have in this way traced a
large number Of cases Of anthracnose TO
various seed houses"
The estimated annual loss In Georgia
from anthracnose Is estimated at $l4'-
100000.
1.-THE remedy" states the report, "of
course must be in the form OF pre-
yentive. The seed are acting as a dis
tributinz agent This we are preparing
to do and by cooperating with the va
rious other agricultural interests OF the
state, we hope that some plan can be
perfected which will accomplish this.
First then we must induce the farmer
to secure clean or disease free seed"
The Report.
The following Is the report as sub
mitted to Commissioner Watson:
In accordance with your request
made In company with Prof. Harper
this morning, am stating below in brief
the present status Of the cotton an
thracnose investigation.
lowing to the spread Of this disease
and the great losses which were being
sustained by farmers in different Sec
tions Of the state, an investigation was
begun here last year. This investiga-
ton has been continued since that time
and in it we have tried to study the
different aspects Of the disease. We
have investigated different phases and
in doing this have ever kept In mind
the value Of the results from a practical
standpoint. This work has been labor
ious and tedious and at times discour-
aging, but we are pleased to report at
present that we are about to be reward
ed for our labor. While studying the
seed taken from the field where the dis
ease occurred last year, I found the
fungus filaments and spores inside OF
mature cotton seed. We then immedi-
ately set about to study the significance
Of this. Upon terminating large num-
bers Of the seed it was noted that the
diseased seed produced diseased seed
lings. Some Of these diseased seedlings
seemed to struggle through the early
part Of their lives in spite Of the disease
and upon maturity produced diseased
fruit and seed. Some Of these seed
matured sufficiently to germinate the
next spring and thus continue to spread
disease. Now, as you will readily see,
this phase Of the investigation is Of
an immense practical importance Ev-
cry one who has the disease in his cot
ton and sells or gives the seed to his
neighbors or other farmers, aids in dis
tributing the disease. Where 1t Is once
established 1t will remain indefinitely,
as long as cotton is planted continually
on the same land. Since discovered
the fungus on the inside Of the seed, l
have been using this as clue and
have found some very interesting things
in relation to the history Of the badly
infected areas in different sections Of
the state. In the majority Of cases the
original infection can readily be traced
to seed Of some so-called improved va
riety purchased from seed houses or in
dividual cotton breeders. In a number
Of cases anthracnose has appeared this
year where cotton has not been plant
ed before The seed which were used
in planting these fields, when they
could be obtained, were found to con-
tain the anthracnose fungus. We have
in this way traced large number OF
cases Of anthracnose to various seed
houses.
Now, as l have said, this is some
thing that means a great deal to South
Carolina farmers. The annual loss from
anthracnose at present Is great and
it is sure to be greatly increased II
present methods are continued. The
estimated annual loss in Georgia Il
$14, 1000. A conservative estimate OF
the loss of this state would be from $4,-
100000 to $5,OO0,OOO annually. In vari-
Gus other southern states the loss is
equally as great, or in some apparent
ly greater. In many cases here we find
farmers losing from one-fourth to one
half Of their crops. 1t seems that with
the results of this investigation at hand
it Is time to take some definite ster
with the view of eradicating this dis
ease This we are preparing to do, and
by cooperation with the various Other
agricultural interests Of the state, we
hope that some plan can be perfected
which will accomplish this. The rem
edy Of course, must be in the form Of
preventive. The seed are acting as
distributing agent. First, then We must
induce the farmer to secure clean OF
disease free seed. This he can do If ne
takes the trouble to go into the fielo
ooa Mol, oply parfactly healthy cOttOr