Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-10-26

is the best variety, and it is strange
to find such diversity of opinion
with reference to what characteris-
tics good variety of cotton should
ress has been made in the develop
ment of strains of cotton adapted to
our local conditions.
On the other hand, a little study
or research will indicate how glar-
ing and pronounced are the defects
of many of our so-called standard
varieties of cotton. One way of de-
through a systematic field test.
Work of this character has been
carried forward for many years
now by the specialists of the ag-
ronomy division of the Georgia
State College of Agriculture, and
the results they have secured are
certainly the most dependable data
selection of varieties.
The findings the past season are
unusually interesting and illustrate
very emphatically that there is
much more in the variety than has
been thought to be the case: Read
the summarized data selected from
these tests and be governed accord
ingly.
A study of varieties of cotton
no variety that is best for all con-
ditions within the state. The Uni
ted States bureau of soils recognizes
four main soil provinces in the
state, each having characteristic eli
matte conditions. The types of soils
very distinct and have a marked in
fluence on the kind of crops raised
and the varieties Of cotton grown.
The soils of the. northeastern
part of the state in the Appalachian
mountain region, on account of
cool nights and short growing sea-
son, are not generally adapted to
cotton, although some cotton is
grown there. The soils of the Lime
stone valleys province are charac-
terized by being derived from shale
sandstone and limestone rocks, all
of which are of sedimentary origin.
In the Piedmont plateau the soils
are characterized by red clay sub
soils and gray to red topsoils. A
moderately heavy rainfall usually
will be noted from the records of
Athens and Atlanta.
The coastal plains section of the
state is characterized by predom1-
nantly sandy soils. The altitude of
this section is much lower than the
regions farther north, and the eli
winters and rather heavy sum-
mer rainfall, both of which condi-
lions render cotton more suscepti-
BILE to the boil weevil in that sec
ton. 1t has been noted that the
same variety of cotton tends to
produce more stalk in this section
than in the Piedmont plateau.
A survey of the state made by
the Georgia State College of Agri-
culture a few years ago revealed
the fact that there are over one
hundred and twenty-five so:-called
state. By far the larger number of
these are renamed selections of old.
distinct varieties, and a large per
cent of them have never been i'm
proved by selection and, under weev-
IL conditions. have failed to meet
the test.
A few varieties like Cleveland Big
Boil, are found extensively grown in
all sections of the state. Other vari-
cites are restricted to smaller areas
due to soil and other environmental
factors. The soils of the coastal
plain and some areas in the Pied
mont plateau are infested with cot
ton wilt or BLACK root" and on
land so infected, only wilt resistant
varieties should be grown. The most
widely grown variety in this section
is the Toole variety, several differ
ent strains of which are found, as
Covington Toole, Council Toole and
Petty's Toole. This variety, however,
does not yield so we'll in the north
ern part of the state as is shown
by the results secured on the college
demonstration farm at Athens.
In selecting a variety of cotton for
boil weevil conditions, the following
requirements should be considered:
Select a variety that begins to set
fruit early and produces good crop
of bolls by the first to fifteenth of
August, and then continues to put
on squares until the end of the
growing season. Other things be-
ing equal, a big boil variety is pre-
ferred. Small, early maturing varie-
ties as King have not proved them
selves particularly adapted to weevil
conditions due to their habit of ma
turing some fruit and then quitting
altogether.
Weevils turn back on the bolls
when there are no squares TO pune
ture. If the land is infected with
wilt, or black root, variety resist
ant to this disease should be select
ed The type of plant that natures
| fruit earliest is plant that pro-
duces numerous fruiting branches
close to the ground. Plants with
| large, vegetative branches near the
ground are to be avoided, as they are
much later. Plants OF the 1lrSt type
will often show fifty or more open
bolls around October 1; whereas,
those of the latter type will often
only show eight to twelve. Under
weeyil conditions, this represents
about the proportion of cotton that
would be produced. This early char
acter is one that can be fixed by
selection as has been demonstrated
in College No. 1 cotton, from which
variety the good stalk was chosen.
This cotton originally came from a
very late variety. Below the highest
| and lowest yielding varieties tested
on the college farm for six years. are
shown. From this table it is appar-
ent that some years one variety Will
give the highest yield, and some
Years another, so that the only way
| 70 nudge the true merits of a variety
| is to consider it's behavior when
grown over a period of years in com
harrison with other varieties. Simply
because a variety gives high yle!d
one wear is no indication that 1t
will give a higher yield every year.
An attempt has been made at the
College of Agriculture to grow the
most prominent varieties every year.
and, in this way, arrive at their aver
age production.
Seed of each of these varieties
were secured from the breeder each
year so that pure seed were always
used. The land on which these tests
were conducted is red, sandy loan.