Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-03-06
Prizes Offered for Best
Selected Seed at State
And Southeastern Fairs

ATHENS. ia. March "a contest
between members of the Georg u
Breeders association at the State fan
at Macon and at the southeastern fan
AT Atlanta this fan has been Arranged
10y Professors John r. Fain, vice presi-
dent. and L. Il. Rast, secretary OF the
association. cash prizes will be award
cd for The best exhibits of planting
seed of cotton. corn, oats. wheat. rye
velvet beans and peanuts.
it Will be necessary for members who
wish TO participate i'm the contest 20
have an official representative II jho
association inspect their plants ron
which they expect to save seed, TO de-
,ermine they are typical of the variety
claimed. In making tho exhibit az the
fairs, not only sample of the seed
VIII be required. but also an eXnibi'
OF the plants from which the seed we're
the association on request will give full
instructions for preparing these eNhib-
its
There is no line Of work which Of
fers greater opportunities for accom-
plishment OF results and surer uI&ncIrl
reward foe time invested than does the
Improvement of plants by seed selcC-
ton. Almost any characteristic, can
1e bred into plants by a few years
work of careful selection o. seed. In
view of the invasion of the boil weevil,
early maturing cotton is very essential.
As an example of what may he accom-
plished in increasing the date OF ma
turrity of cotton plants. Professor Rast
on the experiment plats at the State
College of Agriculture planted side by
side two rows of cotton, one row With
seed selected from early maturing de-
sirable plants. the other row with seed
from plants which were not of the de-
sired early maturing type, hut other
wise. were apparently equally desirable
Both rows were planted on April 10.
When the cotton was picked. Septem-
Der %. FIVE and one-half months from
date OF planting. the row planted with
seed from early maturing type of
plants produced seed cotton at the rate
of 2125 pounds per acre. The other
row only $40 pounds per acre. The val
ne of the one type of plant over the
other for production under boil weevil
conditions is evident.
IL is possible TO improve almost any
feature for example. Professor Rast
has for the past three years been Sc
lecting cotton seed with the view Of
increasing their oil yielding and nitro
gen content. AS a result he has sue
ceeded in demonstrating that seed from
some strains of cotton will produce
from 10 to Is gallons more oil per ton
of seed than will seed from other
strains. and that these high oil yield
ing strains are also heavy producers of
lint cotton.
The Georgia Breeders association has
been working for a few years improving
general farm crops by seed selection.
and as a result OF the improvements &C
dispose of their seed for
planting purposes TO their neighbors at
attractive prices. One member has sold
more than $500 worth of improved cot
ton seed to one man alone. The assOcia-
ton published list of the members
who have effected real improvements in
their plants and are offering seed for
sale, but the value of these improve
ments is so manifest it is frequently
the case all of the seed offered for sale
is engaged by local planters long be-
fore the crop is harvested.
Any member who wishes to compete
for the prizes offered by the association,
or any farmer who would like TO be-
come a member of the association
should communicate with Professor t.
F. Rast, Secretary. care State College of
Agriculture. Athens. Ga.