The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-02-25
CHEMIST WOULD
SAVE COTTON
G. J. Lipscomb, Professor at
Carolina, Has Plan
columbia Sta.te).

columbia state }.
:. G.. i. Lipscomb. professor Of
chemistry in the University Of
South Carolina. offers to the grow
ers of cotton a plan based on lab
oratory experiments. which, it is
believed, will sc to them mill
lions OF dollars in preventing the
disease commnoly known as boil
rot. and many millions Of dollars
hesidcs by hurryins thc S"rmina-
ton and growth Of the cotton plant
and in that way getting ahead OF
the boil wcevil pest.
The central idea that Professor
LipSconlb has Developed has been
the elimination OF boil rot and
other diseases that aGcc: tho cot
ton plant. This is brought about
by heating to doiling temperature
after thoroughly drying The seed
and by immersion for a short pc
riod in concentrated Sulphuric acid.
This treatment not only Kills all
disease germs but also completely
removes the lint. The laboratory
experiments made by DR.. Lips
comb indicate that the process will
be altogether successful and as
near fool-proof as any operation
and it takes no elaborate apDara-
tuS or machinery for the treat
ment Of the seed. In fact. any
farmer with metal pot. and sui
phuric acid of proper strength can
do tho necessary work to insure
first The elimination of the germ
disease in the cottonseed and sec
ond to bring about an early Scrmi-
nation OF the seed.
The experiments have covered
cvcry possible angle. both in the
laboratory and in tho use of tho
seed and have been carried over
on period of two years of intcn-
sive work by DR.. Lipscoinb in the
university laboratories.
The cottonseed subjected to this
treatment Will como. up within 80
OF IS hours. while seeds which
have not been treated in this way
require four or five days.
The removal of the lint by
til Lipscomb treatment will
permit the u*c of'-a mcchan-
ical planter placing two or
three seeds ao hill. thus re-
moving the necessity Of later chop
ping out the extra plants with a
hoe, as is the o.stem.
Briefly stated. the process that
has been worked out by Dr.. Lips
comb is first drying and then heat
ing of the seed to a, temperature
Of boiling water and then treat
inS with strong sulphuric acid. The
Sulphuric acid is employed for tho
purpose Of removing the lint and
the outer coating OF the cottonseed
thereby killing all fungus diseases
particular ly the boil Tot. Accord
ing to the. experiments Of Dr. Lips
colrb. in actual practice il may not
be necessary or advisable 10 use
r., heating treatment. the cvperi
o1cn;s having shown that the SIM
ole use Of strong sulplluric acid
Will remove 9S per cent of the dis
ease from the seed While it is re-
moving the lint and Strengthening
the outer coating OF the seed.
Everyone knows that raw sui
phuric acid is quite cheap and there
IS nothing in the way Of using the
process and getting the maximum
results and at practically no cos;
, to the farmer. In fact, Dr.. Lips
/ comb points ou: that the original
sulpi:uric acid can be repeatcdly
| used with very little loss. but that
it is necessary 10 maintain the
| thickness or viscosity of the sui
phuric acid so that ii does not &C.
tually penetrate the pores of the
eottonseed.
The process that has been out
lined will bring about such saving
in the use of seed that it will
more than pay for the use OF the
sulphuric acid. DR.. Lipscomb is
az LcConte college. university cam
pus, and will hc slad TO 80 into de-
tails with anyone who may be in
, tereStcd.