Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1916-08-01
INCREASE COTTON YIELD
BY BREEDING GOOD SEED
State Department Of Entomology VIII Help Farmers
Breed Seed To Make Better Crops.

/ sistant variety on heavily Infested
Land. From year to year the cotton
is thus rendered more resistant and
more productive.
Straight Selection Best
The department recommends straight
selection of seed in breeding rather
than the crossing of varieties or by
bridizing. 1t is believed this will pro-
duce the best and most satisfactory
results under ordinary conditions.
The possibilities in breeding cotton
according to the latest approved meth
DDS are almost unlimited" says Mr..
McLendon. In the light Of recent evi-
dence in this work, 1t seems entirely
possible so to conduct the breeding
experiments with this crop as to
change the shape and size Of the plant
and its fruit, free or nearly rid 1t Of
destructive diseases, increase or de-
crease it's earliness and productive
ness, the length. strength and percen-
tage of its lint, purify the seed sam
pie, and otherwise alter or improve all
the other Unbeatable characters of the
plant
THE problem of cotton improve
ment through breeding operations ro-
solves itself into strictly local prop
oeition, IL the best results are to be OBJ
tanned, as has been demonstrated time
and again In various experiments
conducted with this crop The place
effect, or the combined effect of local
conditions, so controls the behavior
Of the cotton plant that nothing short
Of thorough knowledge Of the local
adaptability of q certain variety or
strain Of cotton can serve as an in
dex to its possibilities for improve
ment That is, each soil type with its
| attendant climatic conditions in the
state of Georgia, will carry certain
variety of cotton better than will any
other type of soil, and so on for the
different soil and climatic areas of the
state"
It is further pointed out that while
in some sections big boil varieties pro-
duce the greatest yield, in others the
small boil varieties give the best re-
suits; from which it is apparent how
unreasonable it is for the South Geor-
gia farmer to expect the best results
from seed bred in the northern part
OF the state, and vice versa.
Department viii Help
While the process of seed breeding
is comparatively g. simple one, it in
wolves many details which manifestly
cannot be given in the space Of brief
article. The forthcoming bulletin will
present all of these details and will
be furnished free upon application to
any farmer in the state desiring it.
In the meantime, it is important that
cotton planters all over Georgia should
have the general idea OF the seed
selection process right now when the
time is approaching for such selection
to be made The farmer who has not
ed the best variety adapted to his To-
cality can begin his seed selection pro
cess as the bolls ripen and open. For
this purpose, as already stated, he
should choose good, healthy, early
maturing plants which are unaffected
by wilt or other diseases
The department is ready to lend ev-
cry possible assistance to the planter
| in this work It will furnish the
bags In which the seed should be
placed as gathered. This bag may be
tied directly to the stalk and the cot
ton picked. and put into it. The cot
| ton should be picked as fast as it
opens and becomes dry. 1t will not
damage in the bag in ordinary wealth
er. Just as soon as most Of the de-
sirable bolls are open, the sacks
should be removed to some dry place.
Cotton to be used for seed should not
be left IN the bolls any length OF time,
as the seed are liable to damage very
rapidly.
When the cotton is all picked these
sacks can be sent to the State Board
OF Entomology, State Capitol, Atlanta,
Ca, or TO the chronological Expert
ment station at Thomasville, Ca,
where the seed will be ginned and the
per cent of lint carefully calculated.
The seed will be returned to the farm
er for planting With table showing
the per cent of lint from the different
stalks. The department will also gin
samples at any time from different
progeny rows, and calculate the per
cent Of lint in order to help the farm.
er determine which Of his seed makes
the highest percentage
Begin The Work New.
1t is time now to decide upon the
variety and the spot In the field from
which the start for breeding is to be
made; and Just about the time the
cotton begins to open the real work
Of selection should begin Selecting
q few superior early plants is the frat.
step, and this should be done before
any cotton is picked from the patch
where you are to make the selection.
The, seed should be separated from
the lint. preferably by a hand gin,
and under no circumstances should
there be any other seed remaining IN
1t. The department has hand gins
for this use and for the benefit of any
farmer desiring its assistance ia
breeding his seed
Speaking for the Board, State Ento-
mologiSt e. Lee Worsham invites and
urges all Georgia cotton planters to
send TO the department the seed they
have selected for ginning and calcula,
ton Of the per cent of lint. In this
way beginning can be made now,
and from year to year the farmers
| supply of seed to meet boil weeviI
conditions and resist disease, will be
larger and larger until he ultimately
has enough to plant his entire crop
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