The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-02-11
CLEMSON EXTENSION WORK
ARTICLE XXXII.
Wilt Diseases of Cotton and Cowpeas.

The disease known throughout CEN
tral and eastern South Carolina as
BLACK root" or wilt is getting to
be widespread A few years ago wilt
only occurred in certain small areas
in Marion, Sumter, and Marlboro
counties. Now it is found in every
county east of Columbia and seems to
be making its way gradually into the
Piedmont section. 1t is estimated that
wilt caused over million dollars loss
IN this State last season.
The fungus which causes wilt is
primarily soil organism. Land once
infested with it remains so indefinite
ly. This makes the disease hard to
control. Rotation cannot be relied
upon and fungicides are useless. The
only means we have then Of controll-
ing these diseases is by the use Of
wilt resistant varieties. Mr.. Orton
and Mr.. Gilbert Of the United States
Department Of Agriculture at Wash
ington have originated two varieties
of cotton and one of cowpeas which
are almost immune to wilt. These
varieties are also very resistant to the
root-knOt disease which is frequent
ly found associated with wilt. These
resistant varieties have proven Of
enormous value to farmers in the
wilt infested districts. BY the use of
these many farms which had to be
abandoned on account Of the wilt dis
ease have been restored to their for
mer productiveness.
The trouble about the wilt resistant
varieties, though, is that they will not
retain their wilt resistant properties
indefinitely and under all conditions.
1t has been found for instance that
when such varieties are grown under
ordinary farm practices for three or
four years, they degenerate to such
an extent that they become practically
worthless from a wilt resistant stand
sufficient care is exercised these va
rieties retain their wilt resistant prop
critics indefinitely. A recent survey
of the wilt infested sections of the
State shows that the majority Of peo-
pie who are planting wilt resistant va
rieties Of cotton and cowpeas are taxi
ing absolutely no precautions to keep
the varieties pure. Under such con-
ditions the resistant varieties have
gone back to such an extent that
many farmers are beginning to Won
der whether there is such a 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 Agri-
culture is planning to cooperate with
number Of farmers in the wilt in
tested sections Of the State in the
production of high grade seed of the
| resistant varieties. In this Cooper
ative work, the plan is to furnish a
| small quantity Of pure bred, highly i'm
proved seed to one or more farmers
in each county where wilt is causing
trouble. One man under the direct
ion of the Division of Cotton and
Truck Disease of the Buerau OF Plant
Industry and the Botany Division Of
the South Carolina Experiment Sta
! ton will devote his entire time to
studying this problem and to help
ing these cooperative breeders in Sc
lecting and breeding their cotton and
cowpeas for wilt resistance. These
| cooperative breeders will be given
an official certifcation 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 disease at a reasonable
price. This it seems is the most prac-
tical way to produce high grade seed
which are known to be wilt resistant.
H. w. BARRE,
Botanist South Carolina Experiment
Station.