The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1907-08-03
FARMER AND
PLANTER
GREATER GAIN IN PROFITS.
Ten Per Cent Bigger Yield From
Heavy Cotton Seed.

which induces the progressive pianter
to reject the small and Imperfect
grains on the nub ends OF his ears Oh
seed corn argues for similar process
of elimination in case of the cotton
seed he uses for planting 1t Is no"
too late to apply the principle for
this years crop, but while the SUD-
iect of cotton planting Is fresh IN
the minds of our readers. 1t is gooo
time to consider the matter WIN
view to its adoption next spring Be-
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 puoiisheu
a few days ago in the Charleston
Is. ca News and Courier, from wnich
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 devet
oped ones, careful tests were made
in 1906 at Lamar, s. c, in co-opera-
tior with Mr.. C. L. Reynolds, and at
Hartsyille, S. c., on the farm OF J. l..
Cocker & Co. These tests were made
under the direction of the United
States department of agriculture by
Messrs. Herbert j. Weber and z. b.
Boykin specialists in charge of plant
breeding Investigations.
For the test at Lamar a quantity
of Hawkins seed was separated ana
the heavy seeds and the unseparated
seeds of this variety were planted IN
alternate rows on about two acres OF
land, i. e., approximately one acre OF
each. There we're 20 rows OF each
kind. and the resultant yields are
given as follows: Heavy. 20 rows, total
yield, 170,4A pounds; EnSeparated, ~
rows, 944A pounds.
In this test the yield resulting from
the heavy seed was 100 pounds, or
1913 per cent more than the yield from
the unseparated seeu.
For the test at Hartsville quantity
of Jones improved seed, which was
grown on the Coker farm at Hartsville
in 1906, and selected for planting In
1906. was separated, and about an
acre of land was planted with the
heavy seed and the same area witt
the incorporated seed, the two kinds
being planted in alternate rows ovel
the entire area. There were fourteen
rows of each kind and the yields arr
shown as follows: Heavy, IA rows
total yield, 1,164A pounds; unsepa
rated, IA rows, total yield, 1.O75N
pounds.
AS shown in the test at Hartsville
the heavy seed yielded SSH pounds Q
seed cotton, or SIS per cent NOR
than that Of unseparated seed.
Thus it is seen that in both of thes
tests, which were accurately conduct
ed under actual field conditions. Their
was a substantial difference in fave
of the heavy seed. II the seed cotto
is rated at 4 cents pound. the differ
ences in the yields obtained at Lama
and Huntsville are approximate
equivalent to s4.12 and $S.55 per acre
respectively. At first thought thi
perhaps appears to be very sma
difference, yet 1t must be remembers
tina. only very small outlay is II
yolved in getting this additional yiel'
1t is estimated that the cost of separT
ton need not cost 10 cents q bushe
In fact, on most farms the regula
laborers have sufficient spare time
do the work without any additional e.
pense, SO that practically the only e
pense involved is the cost o. pickin
the extra quantity of cotton which
produced. In the case of both II
tests the separation resulted In M
profit of more than So per acre art
deducting the necessary amount II
all extra expenses. The increase
tie yield on the two tests average
only about 10 per cent, but in vie
of the fact that this increase does N
involve a corresponding increase
expenses the profits on the crop a
increased by much greater percer
age. For instance, II the profit on I
acre of land is $40 under ordinal
conditions, the net increase by sep
ration is more than 30 per cent
the profit obtained without the separ
tion.
In the examination of cotton in Il
field 1t is almost impossible to reco
nize differences in yield unless SUI
differences are very extreme.
neither of the tests conducted by &
writer's at Lamar and Huntsville cou
the superiority in yield Of the ro'
planxed with heavy seed be sure
distinguished by the eye. 1t was nj
essary to pick and weigh the prodr
to determine definitely the resul
Planters are therefore caution
AGAINST concluding from an examil