Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1919-01-28
COTTON IN NEW MEXICO
state Agrcnomisi Encourages Belief
In Praetieablity Of Local
Farmers Plans
Report Covers Experiments at State
College and Recommendations
For Cultivation


Cotton has been successfully grown
In this state for number Of years.
hut the area ~ production has been
largely confined To the Carlsbad dis
trict In the PccoS valley.
The Increased demand and the re-
sulIant high prices paid for this prod
net have greatly stimulated interest In
cotton production until now many of
the irrigated districts In the state are
Interested In this crop.
The New Mexico Experiment sta
ton has been conducting cotton inveS-
LEGATIONS for several years. and the
results have been uniformly favorable
10 the crop. In 1915 number II VA
ricticS were compared The Durango
variety Welded La bales OF lint cot
Ton a. the acre and several other va
ririirS exceeded bale tu the acre. In
1917 the Durango variety was planted
un the inoSa hand. which Is some iifiv
feet higher than tho valley. The soil
{, uiitr SANDY. with pockets Of gray ell
.,sttercd here and there which makes
II quite pOrouS The cotton was not
planted until quite late and as re-
sult large number Of hollis did not
have time a. mature before frost, and
.C the Wed was cnt down. the rlnp
Welding 0S2 tales per acre as against
~ bales the previous wear. on valley
Ia. h.. ~
,NtcIric" experiment 10 include both
mess aud valley soils was planned In
view uf tho fact that cotton cross fer
tlizcS quito badly. producing m inic-
rior grade of lnr. aud ~ the results
uf previous experiments had been ia
NurLhlr Ia Durango cotton IL was de-
ritcd tn confnc the experiment Ia this
uur variety.
Tie field ~ low land that was select
ed for the experiment had previously
hecn in hog aud dairy COW pasture, he
ius sC,tlcd each wear To- au annual past
ufc crop The soil slthough somewhat
ununfornl, i probably no more ~ than
the average field IN this section Of the
state. and is classified as ella clay by
the bureau Of soils.
Different types ~ fertilizers and diff
lcrout methods NJ planting were com
ap rect hut IN view of the fact that the
results along these lines cover hut
one wears work II j. deemed inadvis.
able Ia recommend the use of one
fertilizer over the other But. from
the experience II the past three years
aud through information Scured from
cotton growing sections, II il evident
the cotton is planted on h ridge and
irrigated In burrows thus preventing
n crust forming as is the case when
planting on the HAT and flooding Is
practiced The ridges do not need Ia
he large in fact. the small ridges are
hest because they do not interfere with
cultivation.
Thre were =, acres of cotton planted
In the valley aud ii yielded at II rate
1T l.;.5 bales Of lint cotton per acre.
Some Of the pats went considerably
higher than this. the highest being
~ bales per acre. The cotton that
was planted on the mesa soil yielded
quite heavily. the best plat growing
10 bales per acre and the entire field
giving l.25 bale yield. The cotton
was planted the 22d and 23d Of April
aud was picked three times. twice be-
fore frost and once afterward The
'shnllips" Wprc moi nickpd which would
have. Of course. increased the yield
somewhat
The cotton seed was planted with n
one row Avery cotton. or corn planter.
IN rows 10 inches apart. at the rate Of
about IL pounds per acre. The seed
WIS planted IN moist soil, hut to in.
tire better termination the plntS were
given light irrigation. care being cX-
rrciscd tn prevent the water from
hnoding the ridges. The crop was
.hoppcd aud thinned To II inches in the
row. when the plants were about /
inches high. The cotton was given
iva ,mltivations and live hoeings, tex
ira hoeing being necessary owing to
the wrrdiness Of the land)
The cotton was planted on April
80 aud the first blooms were noticed
~ July :. The first picking was Sep
tembcr -. the second picking October
~ and the third or last picking ON No
yember 10
The Durango cotton Is a long season