The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-09-11
ROYAL BLOOD IN SHORT STAPLE,
Address by ID. IL. COker of Hartsyille
The Pioneer Staple Cotton Breeder
of this State.


ana other varieties of staple cotton
were planted in this territory. When
ever staple premiums We're nigh the
acreage expanded considerably, only
4 to decrease to practically nothing
when premiums went under cents
per pound. These cottons, being
much less productive than short sta
pie sorts, could not be planted pro
iitably where they command a prem
ium Of less than TO cents per
pound. This in and out movement
OF these varieties prevented the estab-
lshment OF the staple industry on a
firm basis. The seed rapidly became
mixed, and the product was very
unsatisfactory To the mills using il.
So much SO that / have never talked
with mill man who had ever spun
bale of these older staple varieties
from this section who would buy any
more Of it at any price.
Five or six years ago the United
states government distributed
throughout this section seed of the
keenan," and " Columbia" varieties
through the congressional seed distri-
button These varieties had been
bred in Columbia by the United States
bureau of plant industry, under the
direction Of Dr. Herbert j. Webber,
upon the plantation of Mr.. r. c. Kee-
nan. Both these varieties are de-
scended from short staple plants the
seed Of which, in competition with
those of other plants of the same
variety, showed greater length and
productiveness when planted in indi-
vidual rows. Year after year DR.. Web
Der made selections of the most pro-
ductive and longest stapled plants
from his progeny rows, and planting
these each in a separate row the fol-
lowing year. continued the work Of
selecting and breeding from genera
tion to generation. this work finally
resulting in the keenan," and "Co-
lumbia" varieties; which, when dis
tributed showed l IL" to 3-S
length, and proved more productive
than most of the short staple varie-
ties. Unfortunately for the South.
DR.. Webber severed his connections
ha Dptt Nf
about five years ago; and since then
the pedigree breeding Of cotton has
not been carried on to any extent by
the department in this section.
The distribution Of these excellent
seed Of the "Kecnan' anl "Co,umbia >
varieties by The department Was not
panied by any instrucUcns to
the farmers Is TO how 10 make 81 sue
cess with staple cotton. The, were
not told that their seed would de-
teriorate. and that the length Of the
staple would within a few years be-
come nOnuniform because Of natural
variation. They were not cautioned
against planting in close proximity 20
short staple cotton. or told of the
unfavorable effect produced by natu-
raj crossing caused by insects and
disastrous effect of careless handling
&C their lint or seed.
h..
these varieties have consequently
been very unsatisfactory Not only
We're the majority of farmers isnor-
ant as To the proper handling Of sta.
pc cotton, but many Of them we're
careless and got their seed more or
less mixed at the gins. Few if any,
OF the seed originally distributed by
the government are now pure; ami
mcst OF the cotton Of these varieties
which l have seen within the past
twO years has been inferior, uneven
and wasty. In other words, has
teen very poor spinning quality.
About ten years ago. some seec
tions from a short staple variety were
made at HartsVille by DR.. ID. y. Shoe
maker and Dr. W. c. Coker. After
ccrnnuing this cotton selection Work
for year or two, DR.. Shoemaf "r
tuIred il over to the writer, VIII
has carried it along from Year 10
ycaI with rapidly widening scDBe
III" first variety of merit to Origi-
nate from this work was the "Harts-
Vile No. s." which was tl.. result OF
five years Of pedigree Urecding from
an original plant of Jone; cotton.
This cotton possessed the desirable
characteristics Of great productive
ness and vigor and large size of boil,
but only made | 3-16 inches staple