Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1912-08-28
MAKE BETTER COTTON.
Directions for Conducting q Cotton
Breeding Patch.

Clemson College, Aug. 27.-Spe-
cial: Much money is spent every
year in South Carolina for improved
cotton seed, but little care is given
the seed harvested from these i'm
proved varieties; and, as a%rule, the
superior yielding qualities which
they possess are lost. 1t IS impossi-
BILE to keep cotton seed pure when
they are ginned at the public gin
merry, hence some method must be
adopted whereby the good qualities
Of any variety may be kept from de-
teriorating, and, at the same time,
improved.
This can best be done on the aver
age farm by selecting good stalks Of
cotton from the general field. Before
deciding upon any individual stalk,
be sure that 1T Is growing under nor
nal conditions as to space, and rich
ness of soil. Having located a stalk
thus situated, see that 1t Is we'll sup
piled with close jointed fruit limbs.
with the large basal limbs coming
out from the stalk near the ground,
and curving slightly upward, for a
variety Of cotton possessing limbs Of
this general nature will be a heavy
yielder, and, at the same time, it can
be plowed later than those varieties
having limbs which project at right
angles to the stalk. 1t will also be
found that limbs of this type will not
sag to the ground as badly, conse-
quently there will be a smaller num-
Der OF rotten bolls upon them.
One should also strive to select
stalks which have the largest bolls-
this applies to small boil cotton as
we'll as big boil. While selecting
StDlyc 1rhtrh ,rccncr onnl rrD1st;,.
1t is absolutely necessary that they
be free from anthracnose and wilt,
for If they are not and the seed are
planted. it will be only a question Of
time when the whole farm will be
ovcr-run with these two diseases.
Another important factor to bear
in mind is earlineSS-thiS does not
refer to the time Of opening of the
bOllS, but rather to the setting of the
bolls. While the bolls are open one
can get some idea as to tho storm
resistance of that particular stalk,
II Il stalk hat drops the seed cot
ton easily should not be selected.
Having selected the stalks it is
necessary to pick each one separate
~ and do not allow the seed cotton
from any two stalks to become
mixed. Then, at some leisure time,
nand PICK q Su1nClcnt mount from
each stalk to plant a short row the
next year. Before planting time Sc
lect a small area of soil, away from
any other field of cotton, which is
representative of the entire farm,
prepare and fertilize it the same as
the general field, and plant each sam
pie of seed in a separate row, taking
nains to give all the seed the same
distance. This is best done by drop
ping them by hand. From planting
until gathering time treat the same
as the general cotton field, but at
harvest time each row should be
gathered separately and weighed.
Those giving the best yield should
be ginned together after satisfying
yourself that the gin is clean and the
rush Of the eason is over. These
seed can then be planted toe y
and the general crop the next year
planted from them, as we'll as secur-
ing the best stalks for a row test
each year. This may seem to be a
tedious method, but it Is the one pur-
sued by all men who breed good "a
rieties OF cotton. j. NJ. Napier.