Sharp County record., 1918-08-16
FIELD SELECTION
BEST COTTON SEED
Cotton Should Be Selected From
Plants Which Produce Large Crop.
W. E. Ayers, Arkansas Experiment
Station.

| All farmers who have what they
know to be reliable varieties should
select enough cotton in the field,
about October LIST, to produce seed
enough for plot Of such size that
will be required to produce planting
seed for 1920. This cotton should
be selected from plants which, under
the normal field conditions, have
| produced larger and earlier crop
than the average plants surrounding
them. Carefully conducted expert
ments at the Arkansas Experiment
Station show conclu4ively that seed
so selected produces approximately
10 per cent more than gin-run seed.
This 10 per cent extra cotton can be
produced with no extra expense ex.
cept that involved in selecting the
seed-this Is a very insignificant
factor.
Market Crop Only as Needed.
II present conditions indicate the
size Of the 1918 crop. and the war
continues, there will necessarily be
in this country at the end of the sea-
son surplus of cotton. This does
not mean that when world needs are
considered there is an over supply,
but it does mean that the growers in
the South may not be able to dispose
Of their product Immediately 1t is
necessary, therefore, to proyide am
pie storage facilities for seed cotton
as well as for the baled product in
order that the crop may be marketed
as 1t is demanded. Every farmer
should arrange 30 that It will not be
necessary for him to sell his entire
crop this year II conditions are such
that It is not all needed.
Sell Only at a Profit
When peace Is declared there will
be such demand in Europe for cot
ton as has never before been known
The Central powers alone have an
accumulated demand for not less than
five or six million bales. We, Of
course, hope to see the demand OF our
allies supplied first Their demand
alone will take all surplus cotton. No
effort should be spared to provide
facilities for carrying over any part
Of the 1918 crop which is not abso-
lutely needed before the 1919 crop is
made, 1t is absolutely unnecessary
For the Southern farmers TO sell their
supply Of this much needed textile
except at a good profit above cost Of
production.
Grade for Best Price.
Harvesting should begin as soon
as a good picker can pick from 100 to
l25 pounds per day, This will enable
farmers to harvest the crop In good
condition with q minimum Of labor.
II will further enable them to keep
the grades separate and have It
slnned separate so as to obtain the
maximum price for their production,
md at the same time furnish the
government and the mills with the
maximum Of the better grades which
are SO much In demand at present,
store Properly.
| All farmers should insist that their
bales be at least 10 per cent larger
than has been the practice IN tho
past, and that all bales be well GOV.
cred and properly stored This will
mean saving Of 10 per cent in the
rolling stock required to move the
crop and a conservation OF the lint,
Much cotton has been lost due to lack
Of proper storage facilities, No cot.
ton should be allowed to take the
weather after II Is harvested, Both
seed cotton and the baled product
should be stored either under sheds,
In houses, or In warehouses prepared
for the purpose,
| Take Care Of Seed.
II IL imperative that the seed from
the present crop receive the best OF
care 30 "a to conserve not only the
fats contained, but also the linters
which are 50 much needed by the
government and ammunition factor
les. The oil from our cottonseed pro-
vidcs practically one'half OF the lard
now being used In the United States,
The llnters form the basis for much
of~our ammunition, Both are esseh'
tlnl 70 the winning Of The war.
Farmers can do patriotic service
by storing their seed In small lots on
the farm and marketing them Ms need
ed by the mills, This will not only
keep the seed IN the beat possible
condition, but will prevent unavoid.
able losses which occur when tho
seed are stored by the mills In large
quantities, and will enable the farmer
to obtain better prices for seed
Dellnt All Seed 70 Ne used for Seed,
II has been conclusively proved by
experiment that delintcd seed germ
mate much more readily and uni
iormly than seed as they come from
the sin, The supply OF linters this
year can not be equal TO the demand
unless every preeaution is taken 20
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