The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-10-16

in Barbados, gives the following
points to be considered in the selec-
ton aud Improvement of cotton seed:
"(D To maintain uniformity in
the cotton production.
"(O To increase yields, by pro-
ducing heavier bearing plant, and
one which natures all it's bolls.
"(3 To produce plants with
disease-resisting power.
"(D To produce plant which
yields minimum quantity of weak
fiber; Aence. one which gives
stronger and less wasteful cotton.
"(5) To increase the quality of
the cotton as regards fineness and
length.
"(s) To produce a plant adapted
for the conditions of the district in
which 1t is being developed"
- Il suppose that the first item means
the maintaining Of a standard cotton
for the district in which 1t is grown,
and hence would more fairly be In
clu led in the sixth item. for in all of
our selection OF cotton seed we must
have In mind the necessities Of the
climate In which we are working. In
the upper South this means an early
maturing cotton. of course, and in the
demand brought about for an early
cotton In the weevil-infested sections.
II becomes Of greater Importance for
the upper South to produce seed for
that section.
Az to the sscoftd item, the object of
any breeder of cotton should to get
the heaviest producing plant attain
ables even IL in our climate we cam
not hope to get a plant that will ma
ture all its bolls. though In exception
al seasons We may mature the top
crop. Is - &
The third Item Is important in
many sections where the cotton wilt
has developed. There the selection
of seed from resistant plants becomes
Of vital Importance. and 1t has been
shown that this, resistant character
can be perpetuated. y ~
Then. as regards the fourth and
fifth items. 1t Is certainly desirable to
produce a strong fiber and a fine and
long one. But then another question
arises: "Is 1t practicable to greatly in
crease the lengths and fineness fthe
fiber without sacrificing earliness and
productivity" So far as has been
shown the, shorter fibered cotton is.
as rule, the earliest and most short
jointed, and hence most productive of
bolls, and in producing a plant we
must have always in view the de-
mands Of our climate as Is indicated
by the sixth item. What might be
accomplished in the tropical climate
of Barbados would not at all apply to
the upland cotton of the great Cot
ton Belt. We would, therefore, make
the important points for our section
the productiveness and short-jointed
habit of the plant, and so far as is
consistent with this and earliness, we
would pay attention to the lengh and
fineness Of the fiber. but would rather
sacrifice these for earliness and pro-
ductive character.
To attain these we must have a
separate seed patch for seed only.
from which we can eliminate all long,
jointed and prospectively inferior
plants as soon as they develop and
before the blooms have infected those
around. 1t Is the same principle that
Is true with any plant we wish to
Improve. We must remove unfavor-
able influences around 1t. It will not
be sufficient to merely select seed
from the best plants II bad plants are
blooming all around them. We must
endeavor. so far as possible. to insure
the parentage. We plant the seed
patch, and having In mind the ideal
cotton plant for our section. see that
only those plants are left to bloom
and make seed that come somewhere
near that ideal. BY sticking closely
| to this year after year we shall final,
ly get what we are after.-Proerss,
sive Farmer.