Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-11-04

reduced the pfOductlOn OF sea 1SlaQQ
cotton from an annual average of
10000 bales to probably 20, 900 bales.
The latter is, the estimate of the 1919
production. Last years production
amounted to about 10000 bales. In
two years more, in the opinion of the
United States Department of Agri
| cultur, the sea island cotton industry
may be practically destroyed. + -
What is to be done about,it? Some
thing, indeed, has already been DONE
A variety of cotton has been devel-
oped that, if farmers will exercise
sufficient care in maintaining a pure
seed supply, may be made to replace
satisfactorily the sea island vari-
ETY., and that will produce profitable
cotton crops despite the boil weeVi1.
Several years before the coming
of the boil weevil to the sea island
districts the present situation was
foreseen and it became apparent that
the salvation of the industry lay in
the development either of a suitable
early strain of sea island or in the
substitution of an upland long staple
cotton that combined the cultural
advantages of this type with the pro-
duction of fiber comparable with
the sea island in length and fine
ness of staple and suitable for gin
ming on roller gins.
The only upland variety that
promised any measure of success as
a substitute appeared to be the new
Meade cotton, originated by the Bu-
reau of Plant Industry. This new
cotton is an early maturing, long
staple upland variety producing a
fiber under favorable conditions 1 5-8
inches long, of fine texture like the
sea island, and on account of, it's
smooth seeds, capable of being han
died on the regular sea island gins.
Experiments with the Meade COT
ton through several years, undeF a
variety of soil and climatic condi-
lions in the sea island belt, have
demonstrated that it can be, substi-
tuted without disturbing in any way
the conditions under which the sea
island cotton is produced and mar.
keted. =aa ..-' '
So closely does the Meade fiber re-
semble the sea island that it can
not be distinguished except by ex-
perts, and it has been sold on the
regular sea island market of Savan-
nah at premium over the main
land sea island fiber.
Profitable crops of Meade cotton
nave been produced in the presence
Of the boil weevil, and comparative
experiments have shown it to be as
early and prolific as any OF the short
staple cotton commonly grown in
the southeast. The bolls are much
larger than those of the sea island.
They open well, like the short-sta-
pies, and can be harvested as rapidly.
In addition to-. these advantages.
Meade cotton has. shown, a distinct
tendency to resist attacks of the
wilt disease, so common in the south
eastern states. $50 -, .eo.ss
Spinning and manufacturing tests
Of the Meade fiber in comparison
with both, sea. island and; Egyptian
cotton have shown. that the differ
enee, especial lSs,S i'm the finerS yarns,
Is so ssli ght ias to be:prac tica1ly neg
ligible.
The successful substitution of the
meade cotton for the Sea Island will
depend largely upon the extent oil
cooperation wdeveloped between the
farmers and ginners to establish and
maintain supply of pure seed.
supplies of pure seed can not be
maintained with the present methods
Used in growing Sea Island cotton
on the mainland. The purity of a |
stock can not be maintained if more
than one variety is grown in the
same or in an adjacent field, for
capitalization by insects that visit
the flowers is sure to follow. The
failure of the mainland sea island
growers to appreciate the impor-
lance of complete isolation and clean
ginning for their cotton has been
responsible for the popular idea that
varieties are bound to run out and
that new seed must be secured ev-
ely few years. They have failed tt |
appreciate the fact that the grow
crs of fine sea island cotton on the
islands of the coast of South Caro-
INA, from whom their new supplies !
OF seed We're secured, maintained the !
purity of their stocks by growing on
~ one variety. selecting their seed
for planting each year and ginning
their crop on their own private gins. |
Ihe present flourishing Egyptian |
cotton industry in Arizona owes it's |
success to an early appreciation o.
the fact that purity and high quail |
ty could not be maintained if moro
than one variety of cotton were
grown in the same community.
The demand for Meade seed is !
becoming increasingly large and eff
forts are being made to develop an |
adequate supply of pure seed as
soon as possible. Progress has peen |
slower than was anticipated, how
err because of the lack of co-opera-
ton between the growers and GIN
ners and the failure of the farm
nrs to appreciate the necessity for
clean ginning,
With the decrease in the sea is
land industry, the ginning Difficult
ties are likely to be less acute, be-
cause the Meade cotton will be the
only variety handled On the roller
gins. but of equal importance will .
be the necessity for constant selec. ]
ton and complete isolation of the .
Meade cotton from short cotton
Hybrids between the Sea Island and .
Meade cotton are easily detected and .
can be rOgued out in the early part
of the season. but crosses between |
the Meade and short cotton can not
be distinguished until the fiber and !
seed have been examined, when the
damage has already been done.
L.ttle Pure Seed Now Available
About three thousand acres of
Meade cotton are being grown this
+Loo