The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1905-02-24
PRACTICAL COTTON BREEDING.

headed Breeding of Cotton" from
r. l.. Bennett of the Agricultural
and Mechanical College. As he pre-
sents it mainly from scientific side
of the question. ! desire to offer my
views in the premises from a practi-
cal standpoint. The average cotton
raiser, the white tenant or small
farmer is more apt TO understand the
value of cotton or corn breeding
from the cruder or palmer state
ment of facts.
Possibly In the near future when
educated on higher plane is reach
ed, the reverse may be true.
claim that a successful agricultural
list or horticulturist is one who has
been able to produce two blades of
grass, two ears of corn, two pounds
of cotton, more fruit OF flora. where
only one grew before, and superior
in quality. And still he may not be
able to understand why he breaks
in fall and winter his land so as to
have proper seed bed at planting
time from a scientific standpoint
To illustrate this fact; young
student from the Agricultural and
Mechanical College of Texas during
Christmas holidays, asked q young
farmer. chum of his. why he plough
ed his lands. He said he did not
know. The young scientist said ii
was ito cut, to lift, to turn, to pull
verize the soil" Though deficient
in knowledge of the chemical prop
critics or elements OF the soil. yet
he was successful In his farming
operations by close observation and
study of plant growth and its needs
merely from practical tests.
In Collin county we have a swine
tend to understand the muscles or
fat producing qualities of different
theories, but by practical tests he
discovered a balance ration that en-
abled him to produce pork when corn
was % cents per bushel at q cents.
Also we have an expert fruit raiser
who has found out how to prevent in
sect pests from injuring his fruit
and vegetables without the aid OF
scientific study.
In antebellum days there lived ad-
joining my cotton and sugar planta~
ton on Oyster creek, South Texas,
cotton raiser of limited education
who by practical tests discovered the
art of successful cotton breeding
1t was To first select Dickson's Geor-
gia close. short limbed cotton and
TO tax those stalks which had the
greatest number of maturing hollis
of the five-lock kinds. pick the first
open five bolls, plant in separate
plats so as to prevent cross breeding
by bee or humming bird and TO re-
peat the same process for a period
of three or four years, until he pro-
dneed a cotton that yielded from two
to five and one-half bales per acre,
BY accident | discovered the secret
OF his success and easily doubled my
output. until the year 1864. when
myriad of eaterpillars or army worm
moth appeared, supposed TO have
come from Florida. driven by ey-
clone. and destroyed the cotton crop
In July for over fifty miles in the
coast country.
In 1876 moved to Collin county,
North Texas, and for period of
eight years. from 1875 TO 1854 inelu-
slve. had a good white tenant farm
er from Tennessee on share system
10 practice Esy practical plan, AS
above outlined. If cotton breeding
lie averaged seycn-eighths Of bale.
1857. one OF the dryest
wears. aud 1889. one If the wettest.
" hen the toll worm was most de-
structtye. In I9ea. with some high
bred cotton seed raised b. Jeff Web
l**fs "a y = #*&ffNfH kfFs* = Efss+ -
four acres 10 yield eight bales If Zoe
each. on choice. veil Drain
ri. early broken. weil titled niss&.
way ss,8l-uo fertilizers.
DO not wish any one "a imfeF
from my practical views above oat'
lined that would anderFats ths
great value IF the woFk doee. aud
yet yet ia follow aaeh able srtsnsissm
~ Dr a A Knapp. n. l. Benaeft
rsAFwam. nunsee aud asheFm- NJ paF~
poe = aulely- - ruashis zoe the
wfmaAlhal truths broadcast smf0 the
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scientific sneA ~ foltows wasHnR amts =
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