Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1915-11-16
THE CITRUS CANkER.

ne GllIuS 1AuuolIy Vi TIC Ch4lcA
States, which is growing to be an i'm
portant business enterprise in eight
states of the union, representing j
money value of more than a billion
dollars, is in serious danger of being
destroyed This is the opinion ex-
pressed by expert horticulturalists
who have been studying closely the
spread of citrus canker in several OF
the Southern states for nearly three
years and cooperating with state
agents in an effort to check the cpl
demic.
AS this pest, more deadly to the eli
trus trees than tuberculosis is to mar,
has developed to such an extent that
no state con control it, and as it
spreads rapidly, and is not respective
of state boundaries, citrus canker is a
very serious menace to every state
where citrus fruit trees are grown un-
less it can be eradicated from all the
| state simultaneously.
An appeal is being made to the fed
eral government for an appropriation
MIL bioh r IA
| from the United States. 1t was the
United States government, through a
Southern customs house, which ad-
Elitted citrus canker into the United
States. Citrus interests feel that it is
the duty Of the federal government to
do its utmost now to correct the mis-
take made at that time.
Florida, with sixteen counties af-
fected by citrus blight, has taken the
initiative in this appeal to congress
with its entire state delegation pledg-
ed to work zealously for federal ap-
preparation. ..
| All of the seven other citrus grow
| ing states are heartily with Florida in
this campaign, and letters and tele-
grams are being received daily by D.
| G. Gillett, chairman of the Citrus
Canker committee, at Tampa, Fla,
pledging that they will bring organic
ed effort to bear.
These letters and kilograms are
from the citrus committee to every
congressman in the United States. It
is accompanied by a concise booklet
telling all the principal facts about
citris canker, which the congressman
is asked to use not only to win him
! over to the cause, but in convincing
other confreres that they also should
vote for the appropriation when the
bill comes before congress. The dele
cations from Florida, Alabama and
other states in congress are determin-
ed to make this citrus matter their
paramount business in the next CON
gress.
strong effort is being made to
have this appropriation included in
the agricultural department budget, as
it would thus come into use sooner and
through the proper channels of admin
istration AS Secretary Houston and
lis bureau chiefs have all along TAX
en- keen interest in the citrus indus
try it is believed that they will be dis
posed to include this schedule in their
estimates.
Representative Lever and Stephen
M, Sparkman and Senator Duncan q.
Fletcher have brought the subject to
the attention of D. F. Houston. Secra-
tary of Agriculture. Secretary Hous
| ton whose recommendation would be
the most valuable Enforcement that
could be secured as an appropriation
would act through his department.
has shown himself favorably disposed.
Alabama and Mississippi now have
active campaign committees cooper
ating with the Florida Committee. The
Alabama Committee is composed of
six OF the most influential men in
~outh Alabama, who at the meeting in
Mobile pledged unanimous support Of
tie Alabama Congressional Delegation
% the proposed measure of Federal
1saE