The Tupelo journal., 1907-07-05
FARMER AND
GREATER GAIN in PROFITS.
Ten Per Cent Bigger Yield From
Heavy Cotton Seed.

The same principle of selection
which induces the progressive planter
to reject the small and imperfect
grains on the nub ends of his ears of
seed corn argues for a similar process
OF elimination in case of the cotton
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 oe the best plants followed by
elimination of the faulty seed from
their yield will give the most perfect
c~ostonseed to be had from any partic-
ular variety. An account of some in
teresting experiments vas published
a few days ago in the Charleston
Is. Co. 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. C, in co-opera-
ton with Mr.. C. l.. Reynolds, and at
Huntsville, 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 ]. Weber and E. B.
Boykin, specialists in charge of plant
breeding Investigations.
For the test at Lamar a quantity
of Hawkins seed was separated and
the heavy seeds and the u~nseparated
seeds of this variety were planted in
alternate rows on about two acres of
land, i. 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, 170.4A pounds; unseparated, 20
rows, 944A pounds.
In this test the yield resulting from
the heavy seed was 1870 pounds, y
1919 per cent more than the yield from
the ~unseparated seeu.
For the test at Huntsville a quantity
of Jones improved seed, which al
grown on the Coker farm at Huntsville
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 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, 1,164S pounds; unsepa-
rated, IA rows, total yield, 1,075B
pounds.
AS shown in the test at Huntsville,
the heavy seed yielded SSA pounds of
seed cotton, or 3.25 per cent more
than that of unseparated seed.
Thus it is seen that in both of these
tests, which were accurately conduo<-
ed under actual field conditions, there
was a substantial difference in favor
of the heavy seed. If the seed cotton
is rated at 4 cents a pound, the differ
SuCC0 u Tic ylCIuS OUldlllCu dl Ldilld
and Huntsville are approximately
equivalent to $4.12 and 1885 per acre.
respectively. At first thought this
perhaps appears to be a very small
difference, yet it must be remembered
that only a 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 a bushel.
In fact, on most farms the regular
laborers have sufficient spare time to
do the work without any additional ca
pepse, so that practically the only eX-
pense involved is the cost of picking
the extra quantity of cotton which is
produced. In the case of both the
tests the separation resulted in a net
profit of more than SO per acre after
deducting the necessary amount for
oil extra expenses. The increase in
the yield on the two tests averaged
only about 10 per cent, but in view
of the fact that this increase does not
involve a corresponding increase in
expenses the profits on the crop are
increased by a much greater percent
age. For instance, If the profit ON an
acre of land is $40 under ordinary
conditions, the net increase by sepa-
ration is more than 80 per cent of
the profit obtained without the separa-
ton.
In the examination of cotton in the
field it is almost impossible to recog-
niZe differences in yield unless such
differences are very extreme. In
neither of the tests conducted by the
writer's at Lamar and Huntsville could
the superiority in yield of the rows
planted with heavy seed be surely
distinguished by the eye. 1t was nee
essary to pick and weigh the product
to determine definitely the results
Planters are therefore cautioned
against concluding from an examina-
ton ip the field alone that separation
has been ineffective. The product
must actually be weighed to determine
the difference in yield. .
Larger diaries have followed mod
ern appliances for the manufacture of
dairy products. Creameries have re-