The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-12-06
1 2
yAlGert pbenis in Southeu States Maya
ziue)

:, cotton, which, il half claimed for il holds
good in practical extensive culture will
work nothing short of revolution in
cotton growing The imputed Distinguish.
3 ing characteristics of this variety arc
: prolific yield-from two to four bales
i per acre-and a fibre long, stout and sii
/. ky. and consequently Of greater value
per pound tnan most OF the cotton now
raised in America.
Fugitive references to this cotton have
: appeared in the newspapers oi the coun-
try during the past year. ana some ap
parently apochryphal accounts of its
history. lis characteristics and the dis
may it has spread among the growers
of ordinary cotton have recently been
printed in New York and Atlanta papers.
A New York paper published n cut Of a
suppositious patch of this cotton in
which the cotton stalks lowered like Il
forest of tree above the figure of man
In the foreground. An Atlanta paper
published story TO the effect that club
OF South Georgia farmers had offered
$4,000 for all the seed raised, with the
intention or destroying every seed extant
and thereby averting a competition con
sceived to be ruinous to their interests.
Having given some time to an inyestiga-
ton of the subject on the ground,
find that while the matter has scarcely
proceeded beyond the experimental stage,
and that some misinformation and ex
aggregation have been given currency,
there is entirely sufficient foundation for
large expectations, to say the least, and
1T is difficult to understand the apathy
existing among cotton men in Atlanta
and elsewhere, as evidenced by the fact
that no cotton expert has yet taken the
trouble to make thorough investigation
of the matter. While it is true that Mr..
Jackson has received a large number of
letters, many inclosing checks and ask
ing for Il handful of the seeds and has
Alison had numerals callers of late to
also had numerous callers Of late to
inspect the patch and samples of the
cotton houses or planters of Atlanta or
elsewhere have taken anything more than
the merest passing, superficial interest
IN the subject. Some cotton men to
whom / have spoken regarding the new
cotton are outspoken in their skepticism
But further inquiry in every case has
demonstrated that this feeling is part and
parcel Of the suspicion which has forever
been accorded to any new thing. Every
year somebody pretends to have dis
covered wonderful new cotton, and we
don't bother ourselves to investigate
them" This remark by the representa-
tive of one of the most foremost cotton
; dealers of the South, probably describes
the situation as applicable to all.
And yet when ] have mentioned some
OF the peculiarities of this Jackson cot
ton, and have inquired IL any cotton now
raised In the South possesses such char
acteristics, the answer has been frankly
mo" | have several times visited Mr..
Iackson's place, and have made a some
what detailed examination of the patch,
the plant and the product. measured the
patch, and found it contained a few feet
(13 square feetl more than one-third
! of nacre was informed that there had
been picked some 500 pounds of seed
cotton from this small patch and there
are top bollS enough already matured to
increase this yield to possibly 1000
pounds, which would be from ., 400 to
1000 pounds of seed cotton to the acre,
and this in year of unusual and blight
ing drouth. 1t is said that no commercial
fertilizers were used; that the site was
selected because of the poor quality Of
the soil and that the crop was raised
without irrigation (which might have
been supplied, the intention having been
new variety. Granting these conditions,
the result is scarcely less than marvel
Gus. The stalks will average six feet
IN height, while ordinary cotton on farms
immediately adjoining, and with soil of
apparently similar character, is in this
droughty. year only one to two feet high.
/ counted the open and the matured
bolls only on about one hundred of these
stalks. The highest | found was fifty
three; a great many had twenty, and those
having less than five were very frequent.
1t is claimed that ordinarily it should
average ten bolls to the stalk. The rows
are two feet apart, and the plants four
inches apart in the row; the stalk shoots
mp straight, with apparently little ten
dency to stool or limb, and it fruits
directly from the stalk. A leaf bud APP
pears on the stalk, short twig or stem
is developed, and at he joint of the leaf
and the twig the fruit, with from one
to five bolls, is formed.
The seed of this cotton is another pc
culiarity. 1t is smaller than that of
ordinary cotton, so that 1900 pounds of
seed cotton is calculated to make a bale
of the lint, instead of LOGO pounds, as
with ordinary cotton. 1t appears also
TO have a characteristic mark, seam
down the centre of one side, aud Mr..
Jackson is authority for the statement
that it terminates from the centre in
stead Of from either end, as does the
common cotton. 1t is said there are
nine seed to each lock, invariably.
No new thing ever appeared shrouded
with more mysterious origin or had a
more romantic history. This is the story
that is told: Two years ago a soldier of
~ ~ ndnv To- "A
Keil, stopped off at Atlanta and tarried
awhile. He fell in with Mr.. B. II. Jack
son, took a fancy to him and exhibited
a varied collection of curios which, he
said, he had gathered in his travels.
Among them was a wonderful specimen
of cotton. 1t was a cutting eighteen
inches long, which contained fifty-six
perfect open bolls He had cut it, he
said, from a twentyfoot stalk he found
growing in front of hut, in a wild part
of interior Africa, near the Congo river,