Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-01-22
ABOUT COTTON WILT
Description Of the Disease and tn
Remedy Therefor.

/ SS~->-~-o
caused in southern cotton fields BY
cotton wilt and root-knot. To helr
to reduce this heavy loss, the depart
ment of agriculture has issued Farm
ers' Bulletin 625, describing the two
diseases and the best methods Of com
batting them.
Cotton wilt is most general in east
ern South Carolina, southwestern
Georgia, southeastern Alabama, and
central Louisiana, although it is found
in the remaining portions of these
states and in scattered districts In
most of the remaining cotton grow
ing states. Cotton wilt Is to be sus-
pected when the leaves Of cotton
plants wilt and fall off without any
apparent reason. Where the interior
of the stem or root Of freshly wilt
ed plant is found to be Drowned or
blackened, the disease is almost sure
to be wilt. A reduction in the length
of the main stem and shortening OF
the distance between the branches is
likewise characteristic Of wilt.
The disease may kill the plants
early in May, or its first indication
may be the sudden whiting and death
of practically mature plants in mid
September. All through the season
affected stalks die. The first appear
ance Of wilt in field Is usually In
small rounded or irregular areas,
which enlarge every season. Outside
the spots where the plants are killed.
dwarfed and sickly plants occur.
The wilt is caused by fungus,
minute moldlike plant growth which
enters the roots from the soil. Close
ly related fungi Of the same genus
cause serious willis Of okra, coffee
weed, cowpeas, tomato, watermelon
potato and other plants, but these
diseases thus far have not been prov
ed to be communicable to cotton.
Cotton wilt is spread by the growth
of the fungus through the soil and
by any agency which will transfer
spores or infected soil from
one field to another, such as cultiva-
tors, plows and other tools, the feet
Of men or animals, wind and drainage
water. During heavy rains the over
flow from diseased fields will carry the
wilt to lower areas, and for this reason
terraces may often be built to ad-
vantage to turn the water into ditch
es. Stable manure infected by the
feet Of animals may carry the wilt,
and it is known that it spreads most
noticably along frequently travelled
farm roads or paths.
The wilt occurs almost exclusively
on soils Of a sandy or sandy loan ma
ture, and the lighter the soil the more
severe is the wilt apt to be. Rarely
has the disease been known to occur
on clay soil. 1t Is more severe in
wet seasons and less injurious in dry
years.
Where root-knot occurs with wilt,
the amount of loss is naturally in
creased.
The growing Of wilt-resistant cot
ton seems to be the chief protection
although where wilt occurs with root
knot, rotation will control the root
knot and thus lessen the damage
from wilt, which is increased by the
root-knot menathodes.
Wilt. Resistant Varieties Developed by
Breeding.
AS a result Of many experiments by
the department, it has been found
that the large boil cottons are general
ly more subject to wilt than the small
boiled varieties. The development of
wilt resistant strains requires breed
ing for several years. Mass selec-
tions from apparently resistant strains
Of existing commercial varieties will
not suffice. The principal resistant
upland cottons are the Dillon, the Dix
lie and the Modella. In addition. sew
eral hybrid resistant strains are be-
ing bred to produce a larger boil,
longer lint, and higher percentage Of
lint than the Dillon and Dixie. Other
partially wilt-resistant varieties that
have been developed by individual
farmers are the Sam Wood and the
Covington Toole.
Resistance to Wilt Maintained by
Careful Breeding.
Several years experience with wilt
resistant varieties has demonstrated
the fact that resistance to wilt can be
maintained only by careful attention
to breeding. Special acres are needed to
prevent the deterioration Of resistant
varieties through crossing with nom
resistant cotton in nearby fields.
through the lack Of selection, and
through the mixing Of seed at the
public gins. A careful man can main
tain the resistance Of his cotton in
definitely, but when neglected, it
loses this quality in three or four
years and must be replaced by fresh
seed. Consequently, there is likely
to be a permanent annual demand for
several thousand bushels Of carefully
bred wilt-resistant seed in nearly ev-
cry infected county. 1t is important
that this should be grown in the home
county, as locally grown seed gives
better results than seed brought from
distance. Because Of these facts an
excellent opportunity exists for pro-
gressive men in every lt-infected
county to engage with profit in the
growing Of seed Of wilt-resistant va
rieties of cotton. The method found
most successful. requires care, ac-
curacy and instruction at the start
The Wade Cotton Pool.-We have
never taken much stock in the Wade
cotton pool. for the reason that we did