Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1911-02-01
Observation-Disclosures. .!..s..s.s...3..l. .,....!.
J. CLEMSON EXTENSION work !. +
!. Article XXXIII. y.
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Wit Diseases OF Cotton ana CowDcas
The disease know throughout cen
tral and eastern South Carolina as
black root or wilt" lis getting to
be widespread. A few years ago wilt,
only occurred in certain small areas
III Marion, Sumter and Marlboro
counties. Now it is found in every
county east Of Columbia and seems to
DE making its way gradually into the
Piedmont section. II is estimated
mat VIII caused over million dol
lars loss in this State last season.
The fungus which causes witt is
primarily SOIL organism. Land once
infested with 1t remains so Indefinite
ly This makes the disease hard to
control. Rotation cannot be relied
upon and sungicides ..re useless. The
only means we have then of
controlling. these diseases is by
the use of wilt resistant vare-
ties. Mr.. Orton and Mr.. Gil
bert OF the U. S. Department Of
Agriculture al Washington have
originated two varieties Of cotton and
one of cowpeas which are almost i'm
mune to wilt. These varieties are
also very resistant to the root-knot
disease which is frequently found as
sociated with wilt. These resistant
varieties have proven OF enormous
value to farmers in the wilt infesteG
districts. BY the use Of these mary
farms which had to be abandoned on
account of the wilt disease have 1,een
restored to their former productive
ness.
The trouble about the wilt resist
ant varieties. though, is that they
will not retain their wilt resistant
properties indefinitely and under all
conditions. 1t has been found for in
stance that when such varieties are
grown under ordinary farm practices
for three or four years, they degener-
ate to such an extent that they be-
come practically worthless from a
wilt resistant standpoint On the
other hand, where sufficient care is
exercised, these varieties retain their
wilt resistant properties Indefinitely.
recent survey OF the wilt infested
sections OF the State shows that the
majority OF people who are planting
wilt resistant varieties Of cotton and
cowpeas are taking absolutely no pre-
cautions to keep the varieties pure.
Under such conditions the resistant
varieties have gone back to such an
extent that many farmers are begin
n1pg to wonder whether there is such
thing as variety which is free
from wilt.
In order to correct this trouble and
at the same time improve the quality
and productiveness Of some Of the
wilt resistant varieties of cotton and
cowpeas, the South Carolina experi-
ment station, in conjunction with the
united States Department OF Agricul-
ture, is planning to cooperate with a
number of farmers in the wilt infest-
ed sections Of the State in the pro-
duct1on of high ade seed Of the re-
sistant varieties. In this cooperative
work, the plan is to furnish a small
quantity Of pure bred, highly improy-
Jed seed to one or more farmers in
each county where wilt is causing
trouble. One man under the direction
OF the division Of cotton and truck
diseases OF the bureau Of plant indus
try and the botany division of the
South Carolina experiment station
Will devote his entire time to study
ing this problem and to helping
these cooperative breeders in select.
ing and breeding their cotton and
cowpeas for wilt resistance. These
cooperative breeders will be given an
ntficia! certificate Of inspection at the
end OF the season, setting forth the
character Of seed produced. They will
then sell such seed to their neighbors
who are suffering losses from the
wilt diseases at Il reasonable price.
This 1T seems is the most practical
way to produce high grade seed
which are known to be wilt resistant.
H. w Barre BotaniSt