Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1919-02-05
BEST YARITIES OF COTTON
FOR BOIL WEEVEL
CONDITIONS.

Clemson College-The boil weeyil
mas made its appearance in ten
counties OF South Carolina. In several
OF these counties the weevil Is nu.
merous enough to damage tho cotton
crop to consider able extent in 1919.
Consequently, some changes in the
method Of producing cotton must be
made to combat this pest.
Among these changes will be the
planting Of better seed Of earlier
fruiting varieties than are now gen.
orally used. A variety must be used
that will begin to fruit early and set
good crop Of bolls by the first of
August, for after this time the weeyils
are usually abundant enough to de.
stroy all squares that appear. It
ohoubd be good yieMer with high
percentage of lint. A medium size
plant Is desirable. 1t should have but
or yegetative branches, but fruit
Ing branches should be numerous,
both sets Of branches coming out near
&he ground.
Nhe cost 81 growing an acre OF cot.
ton from tflo best seed Is no greatt.s
tthaai rGs5Ssost OF growing the same
acre from inferior seed but The differ.
ence in yield will often be from 800
to 500 pounds Of seed cotton per acre
In favor of the good seed. At the pres.
ent price Of cotton this would be at
least $4,000 per acre, not counting the
seed. The above figures are conserva.
tive, for III variety tests consisting
only Of varieties considered standard
for the State, results have been obtain.
ed showing a greater difference than
above between the highest and lowest
yielding varieties, though in many
cases the yield OF the lowest yielding
variety in these tests would be greater
than from "gin mixed" seed OF inferior
varieties commonly used by many
growers. Consequently, those who
use low grade seed in the weevil in
tested area will suffer double loss,
while those who use the vest varieties
adapted to their sections will lose only
to the extent Of damage due to tho
weevils. That many farmers are be.
ginning to realize this fact is indicat.
cd by the many inquiries for better
varieties and sources Of seed.
There Is no such thing as "boll
weevil proof" cotton. Select variety
that has been tried and has proved Il.
self adapted to the section in which It
Is to be grown. Then purchase seed
from good reliable breeder as near
home as possible; for results show
where conditions are entirely different
do not produce as we'll as native grown
seed.
EARLY fruiting and late fruiting va.
rieties should not be planted in the
same community, as the weevils will
have had time to multiply in the fruit
fornred on the carly cotton and be-
come numerous enough to destroy
practically all fruit as fast as formed
on the late variety.
During the last two years more than
twenty Of the best varieties have been
tested in Mgefield, Aiken, Barnwell,
Hampton, Beaufort Charleston, and
Dorchester Counties. From the re.
suits so far obtained and from obser.
Vaton as to fruiting and growth, there
are several that seem to be we'll adapt.
ed to these sections.
or tho short staple varieties that
can be commended for South Carolina
Cleveland Big Boil, Cook,
Dixie Triumph. and Dixie are the prin-
cipSl ones. The first two are we'll
adapted for all sections of the State,
except whore the land is wilt-infected.
Caevelan Is now more generally
grown in the State than any other va.
Ffet/. Several thousand bushels grown
md bred In the State are sold every
yeal In the weevil district further
Boutl, and 1t Is giving good results.
Beed of this variety can be obtained
from reliable breeders in tho State,
who have for several years been sc.
'ecting and breeding for earliness.
This Is considered one Of the best varl-
sites yet developed for South Carolina
conditions. "A
Cook ranks among the highest yield
ng varieties In the State, but is not
Is generally grown, 8 anthrnr"cs" ~.