The log cabin Democrat., 1920-04-29
POOR SEED RETARD
 NEW COTTON CROP
NEED SECOND PLANTING
Cotton Seed This Year Low in Germi- nation and County May Produce
 Much Reduced Crop.

A condition in farming, which the ! scarcity of reliable seed makes un- usually grave, confronts Faulkner county as well as Arkansas and other cotton growing states. Seed cotton this year is averaging extremely low Tn germination, and many fields plant ed early this season have failed to produce anything like a satisfactory stand. It was said today that one large field of 30 cres produced prac- tically no stand from its first planting, and another is showing results equal ly as unsatisfactory. On early reports of the condition, the 1920 cotton crop stands a good chance to be blighted and considerably reduced while the planting season is still on. Reliable seed are not to be had, it was said and second plantings can not be ex- peeted to better much the stands pro- dueed on first planting.
 Excessive moisture in the fall of 1919 is the cause of the low germina- tion being registered by cotton seed. IL was said by an officer of a local firm extensively interested in farming that cotton seed 75 per cent of which will germinate and produce a hardy plant is far above the average this year, and that 50 per cent stand Is extremely good Where a planting has produced a part of a stand, he advised the entire field be broken again and entirely replanted Re suits from partial repIanting, he thought, would not be satisfactory The extent of damage to the pros pective cotton crop or it's reduction probably will be determined within the next few weeks, as the planting season will be fully on by May l. Planting so far in this county has been largely done in the lowlands, little or none of the hill crop being planted this early. Weather this spring has been generally favorable to planting and has not been a factor in creating the situation now thought inevitable Weather last spring, t was said, was the toughest" on cotton planting eX- perienced in years. Despite this, cot ton seed planted in the county pro duced good stands and brought on crop which was surprising by it's size.
 For the first time, the county has bought its cotton seed mainly from stores this year Home grown seed has been relied upon for planting only to small extent. Native seed have averaged about as well as commercial seed or the varieties brought in by dealers. One kind has produced about as good stand as the other, it was said Commercial seed in fairly large quantities is held by dealers here, and can be bought on Memphis and Little Rock markets, it was said, but the variety is none too reliable. All seed this year are averaging low in germi- nation.
 Local merchants and cotton dealers as well as others who have closely watched conditions since the fall of 1919, are not surprised by the con dition which is apparently being ere ated. Early this year H. NJ. Cottrell agriculturist of the Little Rock cham Der of commerce, made repeated warn ings against seed of low germination and dealers everywhere have been alert to select the best seed available One merchant here has kept two men on the job of buying seed, and the stock has been most carefully selected As the average for all seed is re markably low, even this precaution has failed to select seed which would to a certainty produce an average stand. Stocks of this sort held by dealers will be used in second plant ings, which will have about the same chance of bringing on an average stand as inc first planting.