The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-09-04

ing are both based on the same gem
eral principles. and success is much
more quickly assured by following
these principles in the plant depart
ment OF nature than in the animal
department.
In breeding field seeds. by far the
most important aim Is large yield.
and an increased yield is quickly ar
rived at by a very simple systera Of
plant breeding. 1t Is. however, very
important to breed quality along
with quantity and it is especially i'm
portant In cotton breeding to consid-
er the question of quality. The cot
ton produced this section of the
country sells, believe, In the mark
cts OF the world at the lowest Of any
except India cotton. In the western
part OF the cotton belt the ordinary
upland varieties produce lint lie
to is OF an inch longer than that
produced here, and the bender cot
tons of the river valleys Of Texas and
mississippi have a staple fully 3-16
inch longer than ours My experience
In the cotton business has proved 20
me that 1t Is almost impossible TO sell
our cotton to New England mills.
They sometimes take 1t in small
quantities at the first Of the season
10 ~ To-
doors In about one week from ship
ment. while It requires about one
month to get cotton from Texas. AZ
ter September / find 1t impossible to
sell our, ordinary upland cotton in
any quantity in New Englend, and
our brokers tell US that the mills pre-
Ter the western staple on account of
Its superior length and strength. Even
the mills In the Piedmont section OF
our own State for the same reason
get a large portion of their cotton
from Alabama and Mississippi. There
Is no reason why we should allow
this condition, so unfavorable to the
demapd and price Of our staple crop.
to remain as 1t is.
Something more than a year ago.
staple expert visited mill Which
was spinning some of the cotton rails
ed on our home farm. Without know
Ing where the cotton came from or
who raised it. he informed the 'presi-
ient OF the mill that it was the best
spinning upland cotton he had seen
during an extended trip OF inspec-
ton of southern mills. That crop of
cotton was made from seed which
were grown from 80 plants carefully
selected from the field in 1902. All
or these original plants showed about
l 1-s inch staple. and the crop of
1905 from these seed showed about
1-s inch staple and was strong and
uniform.
i think have said enough to con-
vince this audience of the practical
value Of seed selection. and will now
outline simple methods to be applied
TO cotton and corn.
To begin with. IL you have not
desirable variety OF cotton, get a
few Of the best seed you can find.
Plant these seed In checks AKA or 5x5
In order that each plant may have an
opportunity to develop fully. Do
not select a rich garden spot for your
seed patch. You can Judge results
much better on ordinary, land with
the same treatment you give your
general crop. When the bolls begin
TO open in September. go along the
rows and select the plants which are
most perfect In every respect. Select
only we'll fruited plants with large
bolls, we'll balance limbs. healthy
leaves. and erect. strong stalks. Then
take a small comb and pull out the
seed. with cotton attached,
from the middle OF each of
several locks. Smooth out the
cotton on the seed and como
1t so that you can Judge its length.
II you comb a few seed on each Of
100 plants you will probably find a
considerable variation In the length
OF the staple. Some plants will prob
ably have lint as short as ga TO 7.S
inch, and other plants may show
length of is inches. You will also
notice that the lint on some seed is
very short at the point and long at
the base OF the seed. and that other
plants will bear seed having lint OF
nearly uniform length at both ends Of
the seed. You will, OF course, select
those productive plants which show
the best covered seeds, the longest
and mast uniform lint and the larges.
bolls. and these should be the moth
er plants for your next years plant