The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-02-13
lIn Atlanta nurral.

N M. cotton planting season ap-
1roAchcS much interest is being evil
Icnccd III the choice of varieties.
Which il best for all purposes will, Of
course, always remain more or less a
,irbatable question, for the reason
thtt some slight improvement is being
aff.cted even through sprouts prod
acts suddenly in the fields OF various
farmers or through the concentrated
effort of plant breeders All will admit
that We now have some better varie
ties of cotton than ever before in the
history of the cultivation Of the staple.
That We will still have better varieties
is 4 foregOne conclusion, for as the
years go by the effort OF man to i'm
prove both plants and animals be-
comes better defined and the work is
carried on along more efficient lines.
The varieties making the largest
yield in the college demonstration field
in 1911 were Butts Improved, with a
total WELD of seed cotton Of 1862
pounds, equivalent to 617.57 pounds Of
lint. The staple was seven-eights OF an
lint. The staple was Seven-eighthS OF
an inch IN length and the per cent of
1890 pounds Of seed cotton, equiva-
lent to 666 pounds Of lint. The fiber
was one inch in length, and the per
cent Of lint 81. Triumph was third,
with q yield OF 1872 pounds Of seed
cotton representing 652.32 pounds Of
line. The staple was one and an
eighth inches long, and the per cent
OF lint 36.5. Sunbeam, a strain devel
oped 1T the college, produced 1,172.9
pounds OF seed cotton, equivalent to
Z 1915 pounds Of lint The staple was
one inch in length, and the per cent
Of lint 41.5. This strain, it will be OBJ
served. while not making the largest
yield Of seed cotton Outyielded all
other varieties in pounds Of lint per
acre. showed q superior staple, and 8
much higher percentage Of lint than
the great majority Of the varieties
with which it was compared. Peterkin
also made a good record, producing
1,7T2.65 pounds of seed cotton, equiv
alent To 1927 pounds Of lint. The
staple was Seven-eighths of an inch In
length and the per cent of lint 1875.
The falling off in the length Of the sta
pie and per cent of lint accorded 1t,
therefore. second place to Sunbeam.
Practically all Of the varieties
grown this year made yield Of more
than one bale per acre. 1t should be
noted, however, that no extraordinary
yields were made by any Of the va
riches. This was partly due to the
| fart that the very intensive cultiVa-
ton given the varieties in former
years was not followed this year.
This was done partly on the sugges-
| lion Of number of growers who
seemed to think that their cotton was
better adapted to soils of moderate
fertility than those which had been
| highly fertiliZed 1t is true that
some Of the varieties which stood In
The lead in 1909 and 1910 did not dc
so we'll in 1911, and. of course, it is &
recognized fact that variations Of this
character will be observed from veal
to year, owing to changes in soil ant
seasonal conditions Az the time
q number Of the improved and stand
ard strains which have been tested fol
several years should not be discarded
because they may not happen ever.
year 10 stand at the top of the list
1t is also we'll to remember that a new
strain which may have made an ex
ceptionally fine yield during q givel
Year should not be widely cultivated d
but rather experimental with to as
certain If it's special characteristic
nave been fixed through careful Sc
lection
Many will no doubt be interested il
the methods of preparation and cult
fation followed. The land was broker
during the early part of the Winte
or 1911 TO depth Of at least IL inch
es. This was done with a two-hors
inoldboard plow. The land was LET
Just as 1t fell from the mOldbOard L
ether words, it was in a rough condi
ton. the idea being to let the freeze
puiverze it as much as possible, an
I" insure the absorption and retentio
81 the largest amount Of water posi-
Die. When planting time approache
II was narrowed thoroughly and a fin
seed bed prepared The burrows wer
then opened 1-2 feet apart with a
eiSht-inch bull tongue. -Four hundre
pounds Of a 93-4 fertilizer were ar
pned, and then q ton Of yard manur
per acre was 4 with this. TIL
iistlng and bedding was then done, til
neus raked down fairly level befor
planlhg In experimental work tn
SEED Is generally planted by hant
nut OF course, in field operations thi
would be impracticable. After tn
crop was up the cultivation was don