Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-06-11
CLOSE SPACING
ADDS TOCOTTON
Yields Increased Is To
100 Per Cent, Re
ports Show

WASHINGTON, June 1l-Twen-
ty-five to one hundred percent in
crease in yield is reported by cotton
growers who have adopted tie new
close-spacIng system Of cotton cul.
ture, introduced to 10 years ago by
the United States Department Of
Agriculture Reports coming direct
ly to the department and to south
ern agricultural journals, which
have interested themselves in encour-
aging the new system, show that
farmers throughout the cotton re-
gions of the country are rapidly
turning to the plan. Increased yield,
less labor and expense for the same
crop, and a lessening Of boil weevil
damage are among the benefits re-
cited in hundreds Of letters written
by farmers in various parts of the
South Indications are that the sys-
TEN will be adopted far more widely
the coming season.
a Hoe Width Apart.
The close-spacing, more commonly
known as the single-stalk method of
cotton culture, consists primarily in
spacing the cotton plants so close in
the row-a hoe width apart-that
the lower or vegetative branches do
not develop, and the growth of the
plant goes directly into the upper
or fruiting branches, permitting them
to begin the development of bios
SONS and bOlls earlier and giving
them more nourishment and more
light.
The discovery that the cotton
plant, in common with coffee, cacao,
and a number of other species, pro
duces Two different sets of branches
was announced by specialists of the
the department about 1911, and has
given direction to a series of use
taking account of the specialized
habits of branching it was found pos
sible TO exercise much more eff
feetive control of the development of
The plants SO as to secure earlier
crons. larger yields, and greater pro-
lection against injury by the boil
Wpnvil
The suppression of the vegetative
branches avoids the excessive crowd
ing of large plants and Injurious
competition between the two kinds of
branches: The cultural ideal urder
the new system is a cotton plant
with only the single, erect, cnntr"
stalk bearing numerous well-devel-
oued fruiting branches, but none of
the vegntativa branches or second
airy stalks. The suppression of the
vegetative branches is easily accom-
plished by leaving the young plants
close together in the rows. Thinning
is deferred until the plants are some
G to inches high, or even later
under conditions of rank growth. If
the young plants stand less than 6 in
ches during these early stages of
growth, more of them will not pro-
duce many vegetative branches, but
will have only the upright central
stalk and the horizontal fruiting
branches.
The distance between the plants is
regulated with reference to local
conditions and the habit of growth
of different varieties, the range be-
ing between and IL inches. The
plants then have narrow upright
form and can be left closer togeth-
er in the rows. Even with the plants
only or inches apart in the rows
there may be less injurious crowd
ing than with large many-8talked
plants 3 feet apart in the rows. The
distance between the raws, usually
3 u feet, can also be Varied with
reference to local conditions, hut
crowding the rows together, so that
the sun does not reach the ground.
is undesirable especially under Wee
vi conditions.
Small Plants Nav Outyield.
In the way of production two dis
Enct advantages are gained the
smaller single-stalk plants free from
my large unproductive offshoots.
proceed at once to the development