Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1918-09-11
Fighting the Boil Weevil.

Georgia and throughout this section
of the country has been so rapid
during the past few weeks until It
is a foregone conclusion of the agrl-
cultural authorities that the next
year or two will prove serious to cot
ton production, and unless the farm
ers change their tactics and pursue
new methods, there is no question
but that much loss will be entailed
in the production of cotton in the
Augusta district during the next few
years.
The State Bureau Of Entomology
in Georgia, which has been handling
this work for a number of years.,
presents many important features
relative thereto, and in a statement
just issued has the following to say:
''Tne value and Importance Of
planting only improved seed is new
beginning to- be realized more than
ever before. Under boil weevil and
wilt conditions in Georgia it is half
the right to plant improved seed of
a variety of cotton that is adapted
to your soil and climate. There is
Just as much difference between I'M
proved seed and that not improved
as there is between improved live
stock over scrubs. Right 10y when
: everything is so valuable is when it
will pay to grow the most you can on
every acre you plant.
There are three methods of i'm
proving cotton, as follows: First,
crossing or hybridizing; second, indi-
vidual selection, or the progeny row
method; third, mass selection The
Georgia State Board of Entomology
in its work on breeding UP early wilt
resistant strains of cotton, uses the
first two methods. Any Ii desiring
to take up the breeding of cotton III
this way should write to the DEPART
ment for full details. The third meth
cd of improving cotton, thai is, mass
selection, should be practiccd by all
cotton growers in order to increase
their Weld of cotton and maintain
its purity.
If you are growing two or three
varieties on your place, go over the
different varieties and decide which
one you wish to plant next year. Hav-
ing determined on the variety to Sc
Iect seed from, go over the field very
carefully and note the different types
of cotton stalks found in it. You will
find a few stalks very well fruited,
many poorly fruited, and some with
scarcely any fruit at all. Note the
type of stalk that produces the most
fruit. You will probably find that
this type of stalk produces the most
cotton in all parts of the field, wheth
err the stalk is large or small. Having
determined the type of stalk, now
proceed to select the best individual
stalks of this type.
In determining the individual
stalks you should carefully consider
the following points: type of stalk,
f%ruitfulGess, earliness and disease re-
sistance. Select and tag enough OF
these good individual stalks to secure
a hundred pounds or more OF seed
cotton. Pick OFT the cotton from these
individual stalks ahead Of the cotton
pickers or instruct them not to pick
the tagged stalks. Take this cotton
to the gin and feed it to the gin by
hand and let the seed u out on a
sheet spread on the floor. In this way
YOU can gin a small amount of seed
cotton and keep the seed from be-
coming mixed with the seed in the
seed auger."
The State Board OF Entomology IS
anxious to secure cooperation IN
this work, and farmers who will pick
cotton from selected stalks to the
amount of twenty pounds and send
the entire product, seed and lint,
Just as picked, to the State Board
of Entomology, Atlanta: they will
gin it, determine the percentage Of
lint, send back the seed and there
will be no charge for ginning, and
express charges will be paid by the
department. The lint, however, will
be kept to partially pay for the cost
of operation.
Cotton seed secured in this way
should be planted in a separate patch
and carefully saved, and the year fol-
lowing a splendid amount of good
seed cotton can be secured for fu-
ture work.-Augusta Chronicle.