Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1908-12-02
Developing Types of Cotton.

this work has been directed to i'm
provement of cotton to large e;-els.
Many years ago the average yield of
cotton to the plow in the cotton belt
was about three bales, but now it is
nearer nine in fair years. While in
tensive cultivation is in large
measure responsible for this increase,
still the high grade seed is the most
essential feature. Such men as
Truitt, Russell and King have made
names for themselves that will live
for centuries just through the breed
ing of high types Of cotton.
Men are still at work on the prob
lem, and it has been hoped that some
one would get weevil proof cotton
that would stand the ravages of the
Mexican boil weevil, and time and
again somebody has tried to put out
the notion that it had been done.
However, to date 1t has not been dem
onstrated, and the fear is that it will
De many years before such a state Of
affairs can be brought about,-if ever.
But men have succeeded in getting
cotton up to such a high standard
that 1t cannot well be compared to
the old types. A. T. Drake, Geor-
gian, has been working on type Of
cotton that he thinks is the greatest
cotton in the world, and last year he
sold limited amount of the seed at
the prodigious price of 500 bushel.
The writer planted peck of it in two
different sections this year. On one
of the farms the soil is Of G stiff, red
character, and on the other it is black,
sandy loan, and despite adverse con-
ditions the cotton is doing remarka-
bly, we'll in both. cases, and promises
to- yield twice the amount Of ordinary
cotton. This cotton branches out su2-
fciently, and yet it seems to be a
cluster cotton, for the bolls grow very
closely together.
Another cotton am experimenting
with is the Jackson wilt proof cotton.
The seed of this was furnished by the
National Department of Agriculture
from it's own farm down in South
Georgia, where the wilt has put cot
ton growers out of business in some
instances. Up here we do not have
much wilt, but it will be good thing
10 get on the safe side early in case
such trouble does develop.
In talking with the Assistant State
Entomologist, who has charge of the
State division of agricultural expert
ments, he tells me that the Jackson
cotton has shown wonderfully re-
sistant qualities. While other cottons
have died down to twenty per cent,
the Jackson cotton is fiourishing, and
only about twenty per cent. of it has
shown signs of attack by the disease.
This leaves difference OF sixty per
cent. in favor OF the Jackson cotton.
That. of course, means the whole
thing.
Rust is one disease that attacks
the whole cotton belt in some years.
Now there is rust proof cotton that
promises TO overcome this trouble.
This new cotton is wonderful sight
to see. The whole field SHOWS solid
front OF red and brown. This is the
natural color, and therefore there is
no show for the rust to ge; intc it.
One great trouble that has confronted
the grower of this variety is the lack
of fruitio1, but Mr.. Dickinson, VINO
is building no the type, mas selected
so long that ne has largely overcome
this trouble, and will develop type
as good as any cotton. With the rust
proof and blight proof at our COM
mand, there is hope that we may in
time have weevil proof cotton. In
the case CT the personal experience
of the writer with the Jackson wilt
proof, it seems as if / am going to
have some trouble in getting full
crop on it this year, SO that it seems
that there may be some trouble in
the way of getting each variety of the
disease resistant cotton to put on a
full crop. However, this year has
been very poor one fo2 testing
either of the cottons in this respect.
1 selected the soil that thought was
most subject to rust and blight to
plant the cotton on, and the rains
have been so incessant that there ha~
been an OVERRIDING of the r. --er.
Next year may show sometb' & quite
different as far as am concerned.
The situation in regard to- labor
and land values makes it necessary
for farmers to consider the matter
with much care. One trouble that
farmers of the South have is the dis
regard for seed of high type. 1t is
rather costly, as compared to the
ordinary seed, but in the end it is
far the cheapest. There is no profit
in working forty ccres to get the
same yield that cal Le easily obtained
from twenty acres. A little extra
work in the way OF preparation. a
little extra cultivation, and little
extra seed are the only essentials that
will be required to work this change
tn profits. AS soon as the farmer
finds this to be the case there will be
n widespread prosperity wave.
But in the meantime this cannot be
confined to cotton alone. There is
~ cro- i- tha world that responds
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