The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1907-10-31

ond day the blossoms are darker in
color, and about the third day they
wither and tho form" begins to
grow, II the interior Of a flower be-
comes wet It blasts and no form sets.
For this reason the planter always
wants hot, dry weather for the great
err part OF the time while his cotton
fields are in bloom.
The cottonseed is planted in rows
about three and one-half feet apart,
and is lightly covered When it frst
comes up II resembles beans to some
extent When well up It Is cultivated
in much the same manner as the
Northern farmer cultivates his corn,
and is chopped out"-that is, the
plants are thlnned out by chopping
some Of them with a sharp hoe, leav-
ing them about three TO six inches
apart In the row The field Is then
cultivated until the plants shade the
ground and then laid by" and moth
ing is done TO 1t until picking time.
The planting time varies to some ex-
tent with the locality and climate,
but is, as a rule, In March and April.
The first blossoms appear the last of
May and In June, and as they wither
and fall OF the forms, or young bolls,
grow rapidly. They are somewhat
angular in shape, and the enveloping
leaf forms a sort OF tuft or ruffle at
the base. AS the boil grows It be-
comes more nearly round, although
1t never becomes spherical. It is in
these bolls that the valuable part OF
the cotton plant forms, the lint, or
fibre, and the seeds. Each boil con-
tains usually i've separate compart-
ments, or segments, and when It
opens there are Eve little punches of
cotton fibre.
Along about the latter part OF An
gust the first bolls to set begin to
ripen. and the picking season begins.
In ripening the bolls turn brown, dry
up and crack open, showing a soft,
white, downy mass of lint In which
are hidden the seeds. When released
by the opening OF the boil the lint
swells out, making a bunch several
times as large as the original boil.
This opening OF the boil and exposing
the lint to the afr and sunshine serves
to dry It. In picking. the workers,
WHO are mostly negroes, carry
guhny sack hung over the shoulders
in front OF them so that its mouth
Is open. They pass along on each
side OF the rows and pluck out the
fuzzy lint, using both hands, and
place 1t in the sack. When the sacks
contain from twenty-five to fifty
pounds they are emptied into large
splint baskets and when wagon
load is obtained It is hauled to the
gin to be ginned and baled. Several
are always necessary, as
the bolls continue to set for some
time after the first blossoms appear.
and consequently do not all ripen at
the same time. It usually lasts until
late in the fall or until some time az
ter the first frost All green hollis
are killed by the frost, and unless
nearly mature are completely spoiled.
The Sea Island or long staple va
riety, sometimes called black seed"
Is botanically known as Gossypium
barbadense. II was found growing
In the West indies by Columbus as
a wild perennial 1t was first grown
In the United States on st. slmon's
Island, off the coast OF Georgia, in
1878, the seed coming from either
the Bahama or the Barbados islands.
Two years later its production was
begun ON the sea islands Of South
Carolina, where 1t has since reached
It's highest development. The pro-
1uction Of these islands controls the
market and furnishes seed for the
whole. sea island cotton district. The
region In which this variety can be
grown Is very much restricted even
within the cotton belt itself. Only a
mall portion of Southern South Caro-
lima, Southeast Georgia and Northern
Florida is suited in climate, elevation
and soils to its production. For the
growing of the Sea Island
cotton warm, humid climate and an
especially long season are necessary.
Il cannot be grown at an elevation
Tery far above sea level, probably on
account OF less degree OF humidity
and slightly lower temperature. Il
cannot be grown further north than
Charleston on account OF the season
being slightly shorter In Florida the
Yields secured in the Atlantic Coast
counties are best. with the Gulf
Coast counties second and the inland
counties, having a greater elevation, a
bad third. the yield being less than
half the average for the coast coun-
lies. Experience goes to show that
It's cultivation is not successful at an