The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1915-11-26

sa in the northwest to Dade in the
southeast and from Baker in the
northeast to Hillsborough, Desoto,
Pinellas and Lee in the southwest.
1t has also spread over practically
all the citrus districts of Alabama,
louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. CT
trus canker is more contagious than
smallpox, more infectious than ty-
phoid, and to the citrus tree is more
deadly than the bubonic plague is to
man. 1t comes as a thief in the
night. 1t is carried by so many agen-
cies that the prevention of its spread
is impossible so long as single In
lection exists. Birds, grass-hoppers,
dogs, cattle and the human agency
are most responsible for its dissent
nation. A bird, alighting for mo-
ment on an infested tree, will carry
the citrus canker germ mile or
more into an adjacent grove if its
flight is so directed.
Just about one year ago the
growers of Florida, realizing that this
was a state fight and no longer the
problem of one locality exclusively,
raised, through voluntary subscrip-
tions from the growers and the aftill-
ated citrus interests, approximately
100000. Prior to that time thous-
ands had been raised by the indi-
vidual counties to carry on the work
of canker eradication in those dis
tricts where infections were found in
groves owned by their citizens. OF
this 100000, approximately $4,000
came from the Federal government
in Washington-the government ap-
propriating $4,000 to aid in the fight
giving $4,000 to Florida and the bal
ance to the other states affected. This
amount was considered sufficient to
carry on the fight until the Florida
state legislature convened in April.
When that body met it appropriated
$125,OOO for immediate use and Gre
ated the State Plant Board, which
assumed entire charge of the work.
This fund is now being expended at
the rate of $4,000 per month and will
be exhausted by February, 19l6--if
not sooner. The Florida legislature
does not convene again until April,
1917, and the prevention of the spread
of citrus canker is now considered be-
yond the assistance of state aid.
This recital of conditions in Flori-
da is typical of what is to be found
in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana
and Texas, and, knowing the wonder
full rapidity with which the disease
spreads, the states of Arizona and
California are also badly threatened.
This movement toward the extermina-
ton of citrus canker from the United
States is Joined in and concurred by
the adjoining states in which it exists.
The proposition is economical has
to do directly with the cost of living.
The citrus industry of this country is
hanging in the balance. Canker is
fast spreading over the Orient and
other citrus countries, and if the in
dustry is preserved in the United
States, we will be in position To
supply not only the market of our
country, but also the markets of the
world. If not preserved, citrus fruits
from only few foreign countrie>
will be available at greatly increased
prices.
! At a meeting in Gainesville. F
ga, OCJODer OH, WIleIe oeNcldl hun
bred growers from all Florida were
assembled, a committee of five wa:
appointed and charged with the res
possibility of presenting this condi
ton to the congress of the United
States and seek at their hands an ad
equate appropriation to meet the sit
uation now-while it may be consid
cred in its incipiency-rather thar
continue to exert the feeble effort o
the past and lose the fight entirely
This committee has undertaken thu
task with determination to pre-
sent the cold facts as they exist t.
every representative and senator il
the congress of the United States
being firm in the belief that they viii
recognize in this great menace to tn
citrus industry a privilege which de
wolves upon them in the performance
of their duties as statesmen. W.
submit that it is wise and economical
to take up this problem now, Will
it is within the reach of human pow
err to exterminate the disease, rathe
than to wait and lose an industr.
which, to Florida, represents in val
ne three hundred and fifty million