56 MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. 



METHODS OF CULTIVATION AND GINNING. 

 SHORT-STAPLE UPLAND VARIETIES. 



The methods of cultivation which should be pursued in growing the 

 varieties of short-staple Upland cotton distributed are the same as 

 those used for any ordinary Upland cotton. No exact directions can 

 be given with respect to the distance apart of the rows or the distance 

 between the plants in the row, as the space required by each plant is 

 determined by the richness of the soil in each case. Jones Improved, 

 King, Excelsior, and Parker are all quite similar in size and habit of 

 growth. Under ordinary conditions satisfactory results would be 

 obtained with these varieties by planting the rows -i feet apart and the 

 plants from 18 to 2-fc inches apart in the row. On rich soil this dis- 

 tance should be somewhat increased, while on sterile land closer plant- 

 ing would be desirable. 



LONG-STAPLE UPLAND VARIETIES. 



Allen Improved and Griffin, while producing a long, fine staple, 

 are in size and general appearance very similar to ordinary short-staple 

 varieties such as Jones Improved and Truitt, and the same cultural 

 methods are to be recommended as are used with the ordinary short- 

 staple sorts. In picking, preserving, and ginning, however, more 

 care is required if the highest market price is to be realized. Greater 

 care should be exercised in the picking to avoid getting the fiber mixed 

 with fragments of leaves, bolls, etc. Fiber from immature and 

 weather-stained bolls should also be discarded. Pickers familiar with 

 ordinary cotton methods are liable to be too careless in their endeavor 

 to gather large quantities and increase their wages thereby. In fine 

 grades of long-staple Upland cotton it would probably also be found 

 desirable to spread the seed cotton on a platform in the sun for a few 

 hours to dry before storing it. 



The difficulty of properly ginning long-staple Upland cottons has 

 been considered an impediment to their general cultivation. It is 

 generally recognized that long-staple Sea Island sorts require to be 

 ginned on a roller gin, as the saw gins tear and break the fiber to such 

 an extent as to greatly reduce its value. It is also very generally sup- 

 posed that the long-staple Upland cottons require to be ginned on a 

 roller gin, and this understanding 1ms prevented many from attempt- 

 ing to grow these cottons, as roller gins are ordinarily accessible only 

 to growers in regions where Sea Island cotton is cultivated Experience 

 has shown, however, that long-staple Upland cottons may be ginned 

 on ordinary saw gins if care is used in the process. Before ginning 

 these cottons the gin saws should lie sharpened square across the 

 teeth and then dulled somewhat by use in ginning ordinary short 



