Carroll County democrat. (Huntingdon, Tenn.) 188?-1971, 1917-11-23

termtne whether wilt is carried Dy
the seed have given negative results.
Wet Seasons Favor viii.
1t is fact recognized by most farm
ers in wilt territory that the disease
is more severe in wet seasons and
less injurious in dry years. Abundant
soil moisture favors a rapid growth Of
the cotton plant, and likewise fur
nishes the best conditions for the de-
velopment of the fungus For this rea-
son also, new cases Of wilt are usual
ly most numerous just after a rain.
Root-Kn Makes Wit Worse.
When root-knot occurs with wilt,
the amount of loss is very materially
increased, and different methods of
control are made necessary. Cotton
is moderately subject to root-knot,
which reduces the yield in hundreds
of fields whose owners are Ignorant of
its presence. The wounds which the
nematodes make In the roots furnish
points of entrance for the wilt fungus,
which then completes the destructive
work. Whole fields are thus practi-
cally annihllated, the farmer losing
not only the crop but all the labor of
planting and caring for 1t, when by
the use of proper rotations a paying
crop could have been grown, Even
the wilt-reslstant varieties bred by the
department of agriculture are not en-
tirely resistant to root-knot and should
not be planted on land infested by ne
matodes until such fields have been
rotated to reduce the number Of these
eelworms.
How to Recognize Witt.
When the leaves of cotton plants
wilt and fall without any apparent rea-
son, black-root, or wilt, is to be sus-
pected. If a freshly wilted plant is ex-
amined and the interior of the stem
or root is found to be Drowned or
blackened, the disease is almost sure
to be wilt. Certain kinds of dwarfing
Of the main stem are likewise charac-
teristic Of wilt, particularly a reduc-
ton in the length and shortening of
the distance between the branches.
This is often accompanied by the nor
NAL development Of one or more Of the
basal limbs, due to partial infection.
Measures for Control.
Carefully conducted experiments
have shown that late-planted cotton is
as severely attacked by wilt as that
put In at the usual time. Furthermore,
It Is a commonly accepted fact that
crops seldom produce as
large a yield as those planted early.
In boll-weevil territory, cotton must
be planted early to get ahead Of the
weevil.
Fertilizers and Fungleldes.
Cotton wilt cannot be controlled by
the use of fertilizers. Neither kainit,
acid phosphate, salt, lime, potash, nj
trate of soda or any other fertilizer
used alone or In combination has given
any relief. In some cases of slight in
festatlon the use Of stable manure has
been of benefit, and It's use In the
of wilt-resistant varieties has
been sound of assistance.
The use of soil fungicides is too ex-
oensive to be worthy of consideration.
Moreover, large quantities Of numer-
BUS fmgicldes have been used on wilt
infected land without reducing the |
amount Of the disease.
Rotation Of Crops.
The fact that the wilt fungus can
I've for long time on the decaying |
organic matter in the soil renders 1t
vell-nigh impossible to starve out the
disease by crop rotation. Root-knot, |
IN the other hand, can be controlled |
~ rotation. Because Of the almost |
Universal occurrence of root-knot with |
Wilt and because Of the fact that ne
natodes increase the severity Of the |
after disease, rotation of crops, COM
lined with the use Of resistant varie-
les, becomes Of vital importance In |
he control or wilt.
Growing Resistant Varieties.
Wilt when occurring alone can be |
controlled by the use Of
varieties Of cotton.
When root-knot occurs with wilt, crop |
citation must be combined with the
PLANTING Of resistant varieties. Thou
ands Of acres Of these varieties have
'een profitably grown on wilt-infected
and every season for the last eight or
en- years. Their use on diseased land
las long since passed the experiment
i stage, and each season sees the ex-
ension of their planting to new terri
DRY.
Among the wilt-resistant varieties of
otton that have been found useful are
Dixie, Dillon and a number Of hybrid
assistant strains. Additional resistant
trains are being developed by the
United States department Of agrSeul-
ure. state agricultural agencies and
cO-operators.