The log cabin Democrat., 1909-02-01

from Dafk or root, q, DflRnl reu
 from root of dead plant; e, asci and ascos-
 pores borne in the perithecia.
 that as a general rule the large-boll sorts Russell, Truitt, etc, are more subject to wilt than other groups of varieties. The most resistant of the American Upland varieties tested was the Jaskson Limbless, which produced about 45 per cent of a crop where other kinds failed. The original Jack son was not sufficiently resistant to justify it's general cultivation, but 1t has been of value as a basis for breed ing better races.
 Egyptian cotton is more resistant to wilt than Upland cotton, but it has not as yet been found practicable to utilize this quality, as the Egyptian varieties do not succeed in our South eastern States and it is easier to breed resistance direct from Upland varie- ties than from crosses with Egyptian cotton
 The individual differences in cotton plants have been utilized as basis for breeding new resistant strains. The work of the Bureau of Plant In dustry has now been continued along this line for eight years, and has re- suited in the successful development of two new varieties that can be grown on the worst infected land, pro- vided a rotation of crops for the con trol of root-knot is practical.
 rl aF inti inC however, is neither quickly nor easily accomplished, but requires breeding by exact methods for several years. It will not suffice to send pickers through the fields to gather seed cot ton from apparently resistant plants, as some have recommended. Our ex- perience has been that such mass se- lection is expensive and ineffective Much of the seed obtained Is taken from plants not truly resistant, and the succeeding crop is nearly as much diseased as the first. While such a method should result in increasing the resistance of the crop in the long run, the cross-pOllination between re- sstant and nonresistant plants greatly delays the results. The correct method is to select with great care a small number of plants that appear to be healthy, though growing in the worst infected areas. The seed from each of these plants must be kept separate and planted in parallel rows on infected land the next year. The resulting progeny will show which of the plants selected transmits the re- sistant quality in the most effective manner. The rows will also vary much in productiveness and other qualities. The best one should be se- lected and the other discarded In some cases a resistant row of satis- factory quality has been found the first year, and only two more sea sons were required to multiply the seed, but more often complete success has not been had at once and the work had to be repeated.
 The origination of new wilt-resistant varieties is work for the plant breeder rather than the general farmer, ana there is need for men in every county to take up the business of breeding to supply this demand. The farmer, however, should practice selection to further improve the strain purchased | from breeders, or at least to preserve it from deterioration. The Bureau of Plant Industry desires to stimulate the breeding and sale of improved varieties of cotton. To this end it will place the varieties already developed in the hands of men who will improve | them and offer them for sale.