The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1903-08-27
SOUTHERN INDUSTRIAL
Condition of Cotton.

Inc great maturing COIIoii CiOP ID
probably more generally late than has
been any crop for many years. 1t,
therefore, is an interesting problem
as to what extent and how late we
may count on the squares or
forms" now assuming shape and yet
to appear 1t has always been a de-
batable question how late in the fall
blooms may be counted on to produce
well-matured open bolls. OF course,
it depends finally on the date of the
first killing frost-a cold sufficiently
severe to freeze the untimely and i'm
mature bolls; and to some extent on
the character of the weather imme-
diately following. Every farmer is
supposed to know about what time
such killing weather usually occurs.
1t varies considerably, some years
occurring a month, or even six weeks
later than in others. / remember the
abnormal season of 1S49. There were
only a few moderate freezes between
January l and March l. The farmers
planted their crops Of corn and cotton
some weeks in advance Of the usual
time But on April IS severe freeze
including sleet and snow in some Sec
tions Of Georgia, destroyed every
stalk of cotton and corn and ruined
the wheat aud oat crops.
However, the crops were again
planted. the seasons following,
throughout the summer and fall were
al that heart could desire. and the
killing frost" did not occur where
was until late in December. Indeed,
l remember seeing cotton blooms on
the living plants on December %!
The result was very fine yields Of
both corn and cotton. Within the
last thirty-fve or forty years | recall
but three or four years in which the
traditional top CROP amounted to
anything, although its promise was
often used by the bears" to pull
down the market prices.
From Bulletin 33, issued from the
Office of Experiment station in 1898,
| gather the following results Of some
painstaking experiments, or rather
observations, made in South Carolina,
near Augustas Ga.
Plants coming up in May showed
the first squares (forms) in from
twenty-five TO thirty-nine days, the
average being twenty-aine days from
the time Of their appearance above
the surface
Forms appearing in May bloom
ed in twenty.one to thirty-two days,
averaging twenty-five days; forms ap-
pearing In June bloomed in twenty to
twenty-seven days, averaging twenty.
seven days; forms appearing in July
bloomed In twenty to twenty-six
days, averaging twenty-four days:
forms appearing in August bloomed
in twenty-one to twenty-seven days,
averaging twenty five days.
Blooms appearing in June made
open bolls in from forty-fve to fifty.
six days, averaging fifty-two days;
blooms appearing in July made open
bolls In from siXty-four to seventy-one
days, averaging sixty-five days, and
blooms appearing in August made
open bolls in forty-six to forty-eight
days, averaging fifty-two days.
Forms appearing May "a made
open bolls' August 9; forms on July
q made open bolls October 8, and
forms on August "a made open bolls
November 81
The reported results conclude as
follows:
"As killing frost occurs about No
vember II. 1t would seem that the
latest blooms that can be counted on
would be about September l."
It does not appear, however, that
the concluding observation Is quite
justified by the previously stated OBJ
served results. 1t assumes that a
boil must become an open boil be-
fore a killing frost occurs. This Is
not necessarily true. and as a matter
Of fact is not usually true. In other
words, full-grown, well-matured boil
Is not usually seriously injured by a
frost that kills the entirs foliage OF
the plants and all immature bolls
Very many, if not all. Of such bolls
will open good white cotton" after
the frost, especially if the weather be
open and sunny for week or ten
days. My observations lead me to
say that Tin latitude 33 degrees and
thereabout) the first killing frost &C.
ours at from November to Noverl-
Der 10, and that blooms occurring
from September l to 10 may usually
be considered as safe to mature good
bolls Of white cotton, although these
bolls may not open until the first Kill.
ing frost.-Atlanta Constitution.