The Florida agriculturist., 1881-05-25
Improved Cotton Seed.

From an Exchange.
The following communication from
one of the most successful planters III
the South, bears out the views on the
above subject that have found ire
quent expressions in our edltoraI
columns ..,
The value OF improved seed tol
planting is not properly understood
by the majority of our farmers.
have no doubt that the cotton crop
OF the Southern States can be ln'
creased one third by the use OF the
best improved seed. A farmer OF
my acquaintance planted, last year, a
part of his field with improved seed,
and the balance OF the field was
planted with the common seed OF the
country. In all other respects the
conditions were as near uniform as
possible. The part planted with I'M
proved seed made a traction over lOO
per cent. more than that planted with
common seed. Another farmer ia
rear neighbor) planted a field with
two varieties of improved seed-con.
ditiols uniform. The products OF
two rows of the other produced
ninety pounds-a difference OF one
third in favor of the best seed. Dur
ING the last few years, | have known
a considerable number OF experiments
with similar results.
1t is my opinion that three tourths
of the farmers OF the cotton States
use the common seed for planting,
and that large majority OF them pay
S. per acre tor guano to increase the
yield, when the same or greater In
crease of yield could be obtained by
paying 81 per acre for improved seed.
A considerable number OF farmers
buy improved seed, and instead Of
selecting their seed every year, as
they should do, they buy new sup
ply every few years. This Is
shameful waste of money, and the
only consolation is that it falls into
the hands Of enterprising men, by
whom it will be used i'll way that
will promote the public good to some
extent. This is not quite 50 bad as
sending North tor axe handles, but
every farmer ought to be ashamed 10
do so, when he could so easily keep
his seed as good as they were when
he got them, and thus secured full
crops every year. The difference in
favor OF crop from selected seed is
a hundred fold greater than the cost
OF selected seed. The hands that
select the seed will pick nearly as
much cotton il day as the other
hands, and if farmers could once be
induced to make the experiment and
observe the results for year or two,
they would take great pleasure in il
afterwards.
A halt bushel of seed is bountiful
supply to plant an acre, if the work
is properly done with good seed
drill. | planted twenty-five acres
last year with nine bushels of seed,
and got at least fifteen stalks for
every one / seeded. Cotton grows
off much better when it is not
crowded in the drill. and it can be
reduced to a stand with much less
labor. When bushel of seed is
sown per acre, the cotton is so much
crowded that it is materially injured
before it can be lhinned to a stand,
and tull crop is impossible under
such circumstances. Proper care in
opening the furrow in which to plant,
good barrel roller and good seed
drill will insure the stand with halt
bushel of seed per acre on any land,
on sandy land peck per acre is
abundant.
Having got somewhat off my sub
iect, / desire to call attention TO the
importance OF leaving the best stalks
in reducing the cotton to stand.
This is not properly understood by
many farmers. | have learned from
nine years close observation that the
stalks that take the lead at the start
always make the best stalks; and
the difference is far greater than most
farmers suppose. Any farmer who
has his work done with hired labor
can satisfy himself OF this, by going
into his field and reducing one row
to stand, being very careful to leave
the best stalks. ! have no doubt
that crops produced 6y hired labor
are reduced one.iourth by leaving the
! inferior stalks.