The Parker post., 1913-10-04
COTTON UNDER
CULTIVATION
GOVERNMENT EXPERT WRITES
OF METHODS OF PLANTING
PLoYED FOR BEST RESULTS.

PLoYED FOR BEST RESULTS.
The following article on cotton as
it is cultivated in an irrigated coun-
try was written for this paper by
w. L. Rockwell, Irrigation Engineer
in charge of irrigation Investigations
in Texas
The production of cotton under ir-
rigation has not been practiced in the
United States a sufficient number of
years to determine in detail and un-
der various conditions imposed the
best methods of culture. 1t is a crop
the returns from which, both as re-
CARDS quality and quantity, are very
largely influenced by the methods of
irrigation and soil culture practiced.
1t is grown exclusively for the mar
ket, an acting market hence it is
important that the farmer should know
what is demanded that he may pro
duce what is desired and so obtain
the largest return.
To grow a plant that will produce
a crop possessing certain definite
qualities, it is necessary that the
seed be selected with much care.
With no crop is this of greater i'm
portaEce than with cotton The saf-
er and more satisfactory way to G.
compiish this is to study the crop
during growth and maturing period
and mark the plants that are most
promising, by card or otherwise AS
the fruit on these plants mature it
should be gathered and ginned sep
ly cleaned before the seed cotton is
passe, through.
The distinctive characteristics of
high grade cotton are a long, fine,
silky, blue strong lint, uniformly pure
white or ecru in color, free from
trash and dirt. There are certain
characteristics which assist in the
selection of desirable plants for seed.
A long large boil of nearly uniform
diameter signifies uniformly long lint
The vegetative and fruiting branch
es should be evenly balanced. The
nodes, or length of stem between
three or four inches from the ground
and continue uniformly toward the
top of the plant. They should begin
developing early in the season and
each should contain from three to six
bols. After fruitingi begins, in a
sweeping glance over the field, squar
es and bloom should be largely in evi
dence. The leaf growth should at
no time become luxurient nor appear
sappy.
If cotton differs from other crops
ing the seed pure it is on the. side of
greater necessity. Ordinary hybreds
possess little value. 1t were far bet
ter if all the cotton growers in the
district would select one variety OF
seed. In fact it is impossible to sue
cessfully produce Egyptian cotton
where other cottons are grown in
proximity The pollen is carried by
the wind and by insects consider
able distances rendering it impossible
to maintain pure seed with other var
ieties in the neighbOrhOOd. If all
the growers in the Imperial and Palo
Verde valleys would plant Egyptian
cotton, obtaining their seed from
Salt River valley, there is not the
slightest reason why it should not be
produced as successfully as at Phoe-
nix and Mesa 1t would increase the
return at least % per cent.
Cotton is a plant that thrives best
in warm soil. 1t is deeply roofing
plant, strong feeder, one that un-
der proper culture does not require
large amount of water In the
very fine soils OF our delta valleys,
the principal cotton areas, the soil
should be deeply plOwed Subsoiling
to a depth of fifteen to eighteen in
ches will improve the physical con
dition Of the soil, allowing the air to
enter ard assist in breaking up in
soluable compounds, setting free
plant food in an available form, and
permitting the roots to penetrate
and feed deeply
After plowing or narrowing, few
days before time for planting, the
ground should be thoroughly irriga-
ted Nby opening burrows every three
or four feet and running the water
down these burrows from one head
ditch to another. On sandy soils
the head bitches should not be over