The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1915-08-27
DANGER OF GINNED MIXED SEED,

A3 04AVxy1A VITA EA EElJ
According to . bulletin issued by the u. S.
department Of Agriculture on August 18th, very
rev cotton growers realize when they take back
seed from an ordinary gin to use in ~plantinp the
next crop, the extent to which their seed may be
mixed with the seed of the cotton pinned lust
previous to their lot. Yet this matter is Of vital
to all cotton raisers who wish to grow
q uniform variety of cotton. AS every student Of
cotton breeding knows, even a few seeds Of an
other variety in a cotton field may through cross
fertilization cause interbreeding and deteriora-
ion in a large number of plants. Instead of get
ting only a few seeds from q neighbours lot of
cotton, however, actual investigations by special
lists of the Department Of Agriculture show that
In certain cases a lot of seed will contain as much
as IA to is per cent. Of seed left in the gin boxes
from the cotton ginned just before. In the cases
investigated not only has there been a large per-
centage 2f seed from the variety ginned just pre-
viously, but it is found that some seeds may
from the second bale preceding. 1t
follows, therefore, that a grower may very read
lily mix one or two other varieties with his special
kind of seed.
Where a grower is particular about his
seed, he can greatly minimize the mixing by
quick, simple and inexpensive measures in which
the average ginner will be glad to cooperate.
The following precautions, which seem to be
entirely practicable and which, in fact. are now
exercised in some localities. are strongly recon-
mended in Department Bulletin No. 288, Custom
Ginning AS a Factor in Cotton-seed Deteriora-
ton, soon to be issued.
The patron should accompany to the gin the
lot of seed cotton from WHICH he expects to save
seed for planting, and he should aid the ginner
in seeing that everything possible is done to pre-
vent mixing.
He should see that the flues, feeders and
cleaners are cleaned as thoroughly as their con-
%struction will permit before he allows his seed
cotton to enter them.
The roll should be dropped from the roll
box and the box should be thoroughly cleaned.
The dropping of roll is an operation which all GIN
ners are familiar. The construction of the gins
is such that the roll can be dropped and the box
cleaned in a very few minutes. some improved
gins are arranged so that the roll box may be
emptied without stopping the gin, thereby further
simplifying the operation.
Having cleaned the machinery up to and in
GLIDING the roll box, the next step is to prevent
the seed of the variety to be ginned from falling
into the conveyor. Il is impracticable to clean
the conveyor satisfactorily, and therefore it
SHOuIu ilOl Oe uSeQ Wlen planning SEED is TO be
obtained. By adjusting the position of the apron
OF each gin the seed can be made to fall upon the
floor in front of the gin instead of into the con-
veyor. From here it can be sacked easily.
The floors about the gins should be cleaned
to the extent that no seeds are left lying around
to cause mixing. Canvas spread upon the floor
to receive the seed from the gins is often used.
Such precautions require time in which to
carry them out effectively, and time spent in this
manner naturally reduces somewhat the amount
of ginning that otherwise could be done in a day.
On this point the ginner may find cause to base
objection to such procedure, but it should be pos
sible to meet the objection by fully compensating
him for the extra time consumed. The expense
OF special ginning in some sections may be re-
duced by arranging to have it done on specified
days or at the close of the season, when more
time is available. In any event, the amount of
money that may be required to secure the GIN
ner's cooperation in the maintenance of pure
seed is almost negligible in view of the favorable
effect such precautions will have upon the farm
er's crops in succeeding years.
WHERE DOES THE SOUTH STAND?