The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-12-01
WILT RESISTANT COTTO
United States Advises Planting,
Wilt Resistant Cotton Seed.

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of wilt resistant varieties Of ta.tln
can now be had in quantity from To-
cal growers who have been cooper
ating with the department, and that
by purchase from these reliable
sources farmers may avoid risk of
loss from mixed seed or that untrue
to name.
The wilt disease of cotton, which
has been very prevalent this season.
has caused heavy losses to many
Southern farmers. 1t has proved a
serious problem in some sections
where not only has the disease ma
terially reduced the yields but has
spread to fields not known to be pre-
viously infected. Already this dis
case Is present in thousands Of acres
OF the best cotton lands Of the South
and may prove destructive for an in
definite number Of years. These facts
should serve to direct attention to the
valuable work that is being carried on
for the Improvement Of certain va
rieties Of resistant cotton for the con-
troll Of this disease.
Much Of the wilt resistant cotton
grown in the South is of doubtful
quality and resistance, which is prob
ably due to the common practice
among farmers Of securing seed from
their neighbors who have successful
ly grown cotton on diseased fields.
The farmer who thus purchases seed.
supplies others, in turn, the following
season. In this method Of distribu-
tion there are so many chances for
deterioration and mixing at the gins
and elsewhere that the originally
highly resistant cotton 500 loses its
good qualities. The reputation of
the best resistant cotton may, in this
way. be at stake because the deterior-
ated strain often retains the name
of the original variety. In order to
maintain resistance in cotton careful
breeding Is necessary. Every farmer
who has cotton wilt on his farm does
not have the time or is not properly
qualified to carry on systematic breed
Ing work, but he may take advantage
Of the work that is being done by the
use Of well bred seed.
Several years ago department spec
ialists realized that to supply the de-
mand good wilt resistant seed must be
produced on larger scale. A CO.
operative agreement was entered into
TO breed ana grow these seed. This
cooperative breeding work has been
carried 81 IN South Carolina. Georgia.
and Alabama, with results which dem
onstratc the value Of high grade
seed.
The work in South Carolina has
been in cooperation with the South
Carolina Experiment Station and
under the personal supervision of a
representative Of the Department and
Station. 1t was begun in 1911 and en-
cellent progress has been made by the
cooperative breeders. From the
fields Of Dixie and Dillon cotton which
the breeders had planted in 1911.
pedigreed strains of these varieties,
which are highly resistant and pro-
ductive, have been developed and
their select seed increased to the ex-
tent that in 1914 several thousand
bushels were produced and sold for
planting this last spring. That these
seed have given good results and
have been the means of a great saving
to many Southern farmers is indi-
Gated in reports received from the
purchasers. The South Carolina
breeders have grown several hundred
acres Of pedigreed Dixie and Dillon
cotton the present season and are so
we'll pleased with their results that
they plan to devote a large acreage
to the work the coming season. Since
these breeders will probably have a
large supply of seed for disposal as
planting seed In 1916, every care has
been taken to safeguard those who
may secure these seed. Careful in
spections have been made Of the fields
during the growing season and COM
parative tests have been conducted on
infected lands at several points in the
South as check upon the resistance
and productiveness of the different
varieties and strains. In addition to
determining their relative merits as
wilt resistant cottons it has been es-
tablished that all the resistant strains
appear only slightly susceptible to
anthracnose and this season they are
almost entirely free from this disease.
The success Of this cooperative