Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1848-03-24
From tine Southern Cultivaior.
SELECTING COTTON SEED.

Mr.. Editor: have long been convinced OF
the importance of selecting cotton seed 10
plant, and believe it 10 be more important than
selecting seed corn We all know that cots
ton is continually degenerating, and that new
kinds, and even different species, are continu-
ally making their appearance in the old stock;
hence the necessity for selecting the pure seed
Now TO prove this you need only go into q
cotton field and you will soon find a stock of
Nankin cotton Well, how did il come there?
there were non of the seed Of that cotton
planted, and so it must have come from the
other cotton. Now take this Nankin cotton,
pick out the seed, and plant them the next
year, and you will have mostly Nankin cot
ton; but there will be some among ii as pure
white as you ever saw, although there WIS
not single seed of white cotton planted. III
Now, if what | have said be true, (anu4
presume no one acquainted with the cotton
plant will deny it,) how important is it that
every man, who makes business of raising
cotton, pay attention 10 selecting his seed
What kind of corn would man raise IL he
were to go into his crib, and gather promis-
cuously just as he came TO it, and plant it
long ears, short ones, rotten corn and all
Just in the same way acts the man, who plants
his cotton seed without paying any attention
ting seed corn is essential in order TO raise 4
good kind and keep the sort that suits him.
Well if this rule will apply TO corn, why will
it not apply with equal propriety TO cotton
By going into the cotton patch, and exami-
ming different stalks of cotton, you will readi-
ly discover the difference in them. On some
you will notice the locks are hanging out their
full length, having barely sufficient staple 10
hold them together, and you may see every
seed in the boil If you will examine the seed
in the cotton, you will find them to be the
black or green seed. Look at another stalk;
and perchance you will find one whose bolls
are full and plump, each lock in its place, and
the boil nearly as round as an apple, being as
different from the other as the round TAI Berk-
shire is from the slim, lean Landpke. Exam
inc the seed OF this, and you will find them Id
be the white seed, which is the only pure seed.
Now, in order TO have your whole stock Of
this seed, just make it a business TO pick out
the white seed only-one bushel for every
ten bags of cotton you raise-plant them in
good ground; and the next year you will have
seed enough to plant your entire crop. Pur-
sue this course every year; and by this means
you will have pure seed TO plant every crops
and your cotton will be improved in duality
and quantity, and dare say you will be re-
warded doubly for your trouble. And think
it should afford any man more real satisfaction
10 know that he has improved his Old stock
OF cotton and made it good than 10 pay occa;
sionally 10 be humbugged by some <inprlnci=
pied fellow.
Every year or two; SOME man has some
new sort OF cotton seed; and he puts an extrav-
! agant price upon them, sells them TO the far
mer as extra excellent, and when tried they
prove 10 be worthless It does seem to me, if
there is any truth in the old adage, that a
burnt child fears the fire. that it is high time
for farmers 10 wake up and rid themselves of
such impositions. ] am not in favor of dis
carding every man who offers TO sell seed, be-
cause man can act as honest in one thing as
another
In conclusion, would say, let every man
who wishes good stock of cotton improve
his own kind, if If ever was good sort; and
| if not, get some that are good, and improve
them. Then he will have no reason to pay
others high prices for seed. Select your seed
to plant The next year Q848) from the seed
nile nresume YOU have got the cotton out
of the field by this time, and it is too late to
on into the field TO get seed but next fall you
Fan pick the cotton from the stalk Until you
get enough, then have il ginned by itself Be
careful TO pick only such as have white SEEDS
which you may easily distinguish from the
others by picking out a few seed. And if you
find one white seed in a boil, all on that stalk
are like it. With little practice person
will soon know the stalks OF white SEED rom
the others Yours. &c, PEDRO.
MiiedgeUille. Ga, Dec, l847