Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-04-16

thinking of planting about flfty acres OF
my land on which cotton blghts TO sor-
ghum. Can the seed De saved from the
same crop you make syrup from. l think
it will be impossible TO strip the cane
by hand, as labor is scarce and the cane is
ready to harvest al the same time as pea
nuts and cotton. Do you know of any ma
chine for stripping the cane in the field
at the mill!
The trouble with the cotton on the
land YOU describe may be due to what
is known as the wilt disease. A fun
gus causes this trouble, and it lives in
the soil from year to year, or may be
brought to the land in seed which nave
not been properly selected or hanue6
1t is quite common in your section OF
the state. Of course, the trouble may
be due to something else, but the symp-
toms given in your letter would indi-
cate that your cotton is attacked by
what is known as the black root or
wilt disease. 1t is not surprising that
sorghum should grow well on this land,
because it is not subject to this dis
ease, therefore it can be cultivated with
immunity on soil where cotton has been
attacked and killed out.
One wishing to grow cotton on land or
this character should, of course, obtain
a select and resistant strain. The bert
variety for this purpose, probably. IS
the Covington Toole. 1t shows great
err measure of resistance to the wilt
disease than any other variety which
has been developed on an extensive
scale up to the present time. 1t is, OF
course, good practice to rotate crops on
land infested with the fungus, and it
will be desirable, therefore, for you
to grow sorghum on it this year One
of the best varieties for you to plant
is that known as Sugar Drip sorghum.
H,1.s oil Of
ing anywhere in yield, we would say,
from 100 up to $50 or 800 gallons per
acre. The lower figures are much more
likely to represent the average. The
yield of cane will probably run any
where from eight to fifteen tons per
acre. depending on the season, the sell
and the method of fertilization follow
ed The yield of seed will also vary
materially, from 20, we will say, up to
40 bushels, representing a fair average.
No doubt there are instances where
higher yields have been obtained, hut
we speak of what may be regarded as
fair average under ordinary condi-
tions.
There is no reason why the seed
should not be saved successfully in this
climate This would require your per-
hitting the crop to virtually ripen and
then cutting off the heads and drying
them by holding them in the face Of a
cylinder or a small threshing machine.
After the seed are knocked out, they
may be cleaned and prepared for re-
seeding again. OF course, one should
select the seed from vigorous and we'll
matured stalks, as this is the only way
to keep up quality and yield.
We know of no machine which can
be used for stripping the stalks aextc
matically. This seems to be done chief
ly by hand, even at the present time.
We are of the opinion that one attempt
ing to grow such an acreage as you
suggest should buy his own evaporat-
ing plant and handle the stalks at
home. This would appear to be the
cheapest and best method of dealing
with this situation.
We do not know OF any machine of
the character you mention which is
adapted for the stripping of cane.