The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1910-08-24
nm Of SEED SELECTION
,,,crs IN IMPROVING THE
= ,rov CROP is SHOWN.
,+s should Be Separately
eu o,,,tivated. An Interesting
oHcial Statement.

plants SnOulU
fed ,tirated. An Interesting
Official Statement.
n,sHINGToN, D. c.-Dr. B. T.
H ,,l.ar Of the department of agri-
lllOr a today issued an interesting
ill r,oot on the subject of cotton
a ,'s-ton on the farm by the charac-
Ie'''e the stalks, leaves and bolls,
Ils.s is not only interesting but
n BIZ valuable IL to every man raising
y .aeecy staple"
r his statement DR.. Galloway
III IL with the subjects of uniformity
ealS Of mixing varieties, diversity
f'u-' .o,ectsd fields of cotton, deteri-
u li.n Of varieties without crossing
/. q other kindred topics.
,rho full possibilities of improv-
bo cotton crop" DR.. Galloway
e 'nV .,onnot be realized until the
P!s' ~ selection is carried out on
foIh 20 farm and becomes established
FeI' ua ao part of the care of the
Tbp only adequate alternative
oP po purchase of selected seed from
Inv nof nj neighbor who maintains his
, IalG and produces a uniform
o goro Of the most important ad-
toaos Of the plan of raising cot
i'+ f9r seed in a separate field or
:. that the farmer is likely to
"a. tho p]ants more attention and
'e become more familiar with the
u usootnr Of the variety that the
I1 a,+s ronresent. Such familiarity is
arss in order to qualify the
sror or the breeder to establish
r. maintain the uniformity of the
srietv by selection.
"Tbougb much of the undesirable
;,.orsitv of the crop can be ascribed
tbo mixture of the varieties it is
f. nossible to keep any variety un-.
AVN without continued selection.
snontaneous changes to inferior
|baracters occur even in the most
Inform varieties, and if such varia-
ons are not removed the uniformity
A the stock is gradually destroyed.
oThe farmer who knows his va
otv well enough can make use Of
r. Av+ernal use of the characters
br the removal of inferior plants
'arIv in the season, when this work
bn be done more easily and efficient
than by waiting for the line and
bed characters at the end of the
eason. Attention to the external
Ibaracters makes it possible to de-
bet degenerate plants, those that
sl produce small bolls and inferior
Int. even before they have begun to
lower. The rOguing out of such
lants early in the season guards the
Uniformity of the crop by preventing
be cross fertilization of good plants
nth pollen of inferior individuals.
lhe farmer should not hope to equip
Emself for the work of selection
hereby by reading a description or
boxing at a picture of variety. He
bould begin with a reliable stock
| seeds of a desirable variety, and
hOuld familiarize himself with the
lants as they grow in the field.
The best method of establishing
standard of selection to be applied
} any particular field, seed plat, or
Fogeny row of cotton, is to fix upon
Pc groups of the most uniform and
Fherwise desirable plants as repre-
fnting the variety in that particular
Pace.
The cotton plant is extremely sus-
eptibIe to influence of soil and eli
pate Each variety shows wide
ange of differences under different
onditions, and the proportion of de-
enerate plants, those that make
ehnite changes away from the char
cters Of the variety, is also in
IQenced by the condition under
Shlch the plant grows.
IN addition to larger and better
foDS farmers who learn the art of
e'ectIng cotton can usually gain an
,u'antage from the sale of seed in
Aelf own localities. Seed grown in
uniform field in the same locality
always to be preferred to seed
run a distance. Even a uniform
LUX IS likely to show numerous va
iouonS when grown for the first
ime under new conditions.
IN, Inc popular idea that persistent
Sleguoh VIII bring about continued
l'pIo'ement in a pure-bred variety
no" questioned in the scientific
, UIlu' but this does not affect the
5 s'lcuItural Importance of selection
"a, means of preserving the uni
' ~ and productiveness of varie-