The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-07-09
FARMER AND
PLANTER
Ten Per Cent BIGGER Yield From
Heavy Cotton Seed.

seed corn argues for a similar process
Of elimination in Ease of the cotton 7
seed he uses for planting. 1t is now
too late TO apply the principle for |
this years crop, but while the sub
ject OF cotton planting is fresh in
the minds Of our readers, It Is a good |
time to consider the matter with a
view to its adoption next spring. Sc
lection Of the best plants followed by
elimination Of the faulty seed from
their yield will give the most perfect
cottonseed to be had from any partic-
ular variety. An account Of some in
teresting experiments was published
few days ago in the Charleston
Is. c. News and Courier, from which
we make the following extracts:
In order to determine what advan-
tage would be gained by separating
the light and inferior seeds and plant
ing only the heaviest and best devel-
oped ones, careful tests were made
in 1906 at Lamar s. G, In co-opera-
tion with Mr. G. L. Reynolds, and at
Hartsville, s. c., on the farm Of j. L.
Coker & Co. These tests we're made
under the direction OF the United
States department Of agriculture by
Saessrs. Herbert J. Webber and E. B.
Boykin, specialists in charge Of plant
breeding Investigations
For the test at Lamar quantity
Of Hawkins seed was separated and
the heavy seeds and the unseparated
seeds of this variety were planted in
alternate rows on about two acres Of
land, /. e., approximately one acre of
each. There were 20 rows of each
kind, and the resultant yields are
given as follows: Heavy, 20 rows, total
yield, 17O,4A pounds; unseparated, 20
rows, 944H pounds.
In this test the yield resulting from
the heavy seed was 1870 pounds, or
10.9 per cent more than the yield from
the unseparated seeu.
Fd- the test at Hartsville quantity
of Jones improved seed, which was
grown on the Coker farm at Hartsyille
in 1905, and selected for planting in
1906, was separated, and about an
acre Of land was planted with the
heavy seed and the same area with
the unseparated seed. the two kinds
being planted in alternate rows over
the entire area. There were fourteen
rows OF each kind and the yields are
shown as follows: Heavy, IA rows,
total yield. 1,164% pounds; unsepa-
rated. IA rows, total yield, l,O75M
pounds.
As shown in the test at Hartsville,
the heavy seed yielded SSH pounds Of
seed cotton, or S.25 per cent more
than that Of unseparated seed.
Thus 1t is seen that in both Of these
tests, which were accurately conduct-
ed under actual field conditions, t,ere
was substantial difference in favor
Of the heavy seed. II the seed cotton
is rated at cents pound, the differ
ences in the yields obtained at Lamar
and Hartsville are approximately
equivalent to S4.12 and s3.55 per acre,
respectively. At first thought this
perhaps appears to be very small
difference, yet II must be remembered
that only very small outlay Is in
volved in getting this additional yield
1t is estimated that the cost Of separa-
ton need not cost 10 cents bushel
In fact, on most farms the regular
Iaborers have sufficient spare time tc
do the work without any additional ex
pense. SO that practically the only ex
pense involved Is the cost OF picking
the extra quantity Of cotton which II
produced. In the case Of both the
tests the separation resulted in mel
profit OF more than ts per acre after
deducting the necessary amount fol
ali extra expenses. The increase II
the yield on the two tests averaged
only about 10 per cent, but In view
OF the fact that this increase does no
involve q corresponding increase II
expenses the profits on the crop arr
increased by much greater percent
age. For instance. II the profit on al
acre of land is $40 under ordinar,
conditions, the net increase by sepa
ration is more than 80 per cent o
the profit obtained without the separa
ton.
In the examination of cotton In thu