The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-28

Cotton diseases and how to prevent them were discussed by the southern pathologists yesterday afternoon This is one of the most important subjects en- gazing the attention of the scientific agriculturists at the present time, and the men handling the subject at this conference, who have spent years in stu dying the plant the diseases that affect it, and it's susceptibility to disease, gave 1 their views in a very interesting man. ner.
 1 Prof. H. W. Barre. director of the ex- pertinent station at Clemson college, South Carolina, is acting chairman, and G. R. Lyman, pathologist, plant disease survey, of the United States department of agriculture. is Tecretary of the con | ference.
 1 At the morning session yesterday stor- age and transportation problems as re- lating to the sweet potato were under ccnsiderati tion. A large percentage or sweet potatoes are lost through improper storing and in transportation and the men engaged in ' work are endeavor- ] ing to discover a way to eliminate so much loss. The discusy'on yesterday were directed principally to the proper methods of handling and treatment Of i the potato while in storage and it's care | in shipping, and also the organisms that cause disease.
 1 At the afternoon session the representa- 1 tives had under consideration cotton, It's diseases, the causes and their preven- l ton. By planting carefully selected seed | or by treating seed that are infected, in the opinions advanced, will reduce the disease to the minimum if it does not
 entirely eliminate it.
 l Seed that have been held over several I k-y free of infection than are those of more recent growth, time having the effect of killing the germs, while not affecting. i within a reasonable number of years, it's gcrmination. Seed kept as long as eight years MT. Barre stated, had been planted
 at the Clemson college experiment sta l tion. with better results than were ob-
 tained from seed planted the year 1oi- 1 lowing their growth It was also stated that germination is quicker in old seed than in the green and delinting also has the effect of quickening germnation- The latter condition was said to be due to the fact that lint on the seed prevents
 the moisture from acting upon the seed promptly thereby delaying germination.
 Officers were elected last night as roi-
 lows:
 Dr. c. w. Edgerton of the Louisiana
 experiment station, president
 1 S. H. Essany, Tennessee experiment station. vice president.
 Dr. J. A. Elliott, Arkansas experiment l station, secretary.
 The following agricultural, horticultural and botanical experts are attending the conference:
 G. R. Lyman, pathologist. plant disease survey, United States department of ag- riculture Washington, D. C.; G. O.. Starcher. Alabama Polytechnic Institute, Auburn; John E. Prince, assistant exten- sion horticulturist, Clemson College, South Carolina; w. s. Fields, extension pathologist, Agricultural and Mechanical College, Mississippi; l.. o. Watson, philo- logical adviser, bureau plant industry, Florence, s. C.; c. E. Temple, extension lpathologist, Maryland State College; D.. c. Neal, extension pathologist. Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge; E. r.. White, extension horticulturist, Mississip- pi Agricultural and Mechanical college; George P. Hoffman, extension horticul- turist, Clemson College, South Carolina; R F. Brown, specialist farm manage ment. Agricultural and Mechanical Col llege. Texas; J. J. Taubenhaus. plant pathologist and physiologist, Texas Ex- pertinent station; J. A. McClintock, plant pathologist and botanist. Georgia Agrf- cultural experiment station; T. H. Me Hatton, horticulturst, Georgia College of Agriculture, University of Georgia, Ath. lens: MT. Hull, assistant horticulturist extension division Louisiana; M. R. En- sign. extension pathologist, Arkansas ex- lperiment station, Fayetteville; Wright A.
 Gardner, botanist. Alabama experiment
 station, Auburn; s. Fl. Essany, acting
 botanist, Tennessee agricultural experi-
 ment station; w. H. Tisdale. associate
 botanist and plant pathologist, North
 Carolina college and experiment station; G. M. Armstrong, extension pathologist,
 Alabama experiment station. Auburn: J.
 l.. Seal, extension pathologist, Clemson
 College, South Carolina; R. A. Jehle. ex-
 tension pathologist. North Carolina agri-
 cultural experiment station, West Ra