Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-10-03
subject was more or less timely and

subject was more or less timely and
happily conceived.
Seed selection Is not a new thing In
South Carolina. 1t has been practiced
for-generations, and with much profit
to those who have given close atten-
ton; but it has not become general.
Most farmers seem to have been con-
sidering that there was about the prac-
tice-we would use the word Science" I"
If we were not afraid Of frightening
somebody-some mystery that they
could not understand, and but few Of
them have been making an earnest,
persistent effort in this direction.
Thirty or forty years ago, with rare
exceptions, cotton seed were just cotton
seed. There was very little apprecia-
ton even of the difference between i'm
mature and faulty seed and strong, Wig
orous seed. If the cotton in a particu-
lar field was unusually forward, prolific
or produced lint of superior quality,
there was little thought of crediting the
circumstance to anything else other
than better land, better cultivation,
better fertilization, or more favorable
seasons. The possible influence of bet
ter seed was rarely considered.
Down around Fort Motto, In Calhoun
county, most of the farmers depend as
much on their cotton seed for profit as
they do on their lint. There is an oil
mill down there; but It has never been
directly profitable. This Is because II
gets only inferior seed and not enough
of those to keep it running. All the
good seed the farmers do not save for
their own planting, are sold to other
81 bushel up. for planting. The ex-
PLANTATION of this condition of affairs
makes an interesting story. This was
the home of the originator Of the Peter
kin variety Of cotton. All cotton plant
ers are familiar with this variety, and
the older planters remember some thir-
ty or forty years ago when there was
around the Peterkin seed mysterious
halo that almost amounted to sugges-
tion of magic Farmers In this section
paid a good price for the seed, and the
farmer who was willing to pay for from
five to ten bushels, was looked upon as
out of the ordinary, either visionary
dreamer, or a downright fool, or pro-
gressive leader Of his fellows. In time,
largely through the influence of Mr.
Peterkins efforts, the cotton varieties
Of the state were tremendously i'm
proved, and the prosperous conditions
around his old home have come about
by reason of his successful pioneer
work.
Improved varieties of cotton seed are
now so numerous that It would be al
most impossible to name them all.
Many are real improvements, and many
are frauds that seek acceptance on the
strength Of what has been accomplish
ed by the earnest, intelligent efforts of
men who have devoted their lives to the
cause.
While we do not want to discourage
anybody from seeking to develop fur
ther improved seed for profitable sale,
this Is not the standpoint from which
we would urge more widespread inter-
est in seed selection. The proposition
holds out sufficient inducement In the
certainty Of more abundant yields Of
better lint, and the Improvement Of all
farmers who give the subject their
careful attention. The thing for each
and every farmer to do Is to get the
best seed now available. and to go on
improving that variety by the same
means through which it has been rails
ed to its present standard.
And the same practice may be profit
ably followed in the case Of corn and
other crops.