4 KESULTS OF COTTON EXPERIMENTS IN 1911. 



thorough testing and more general adoption of the varieties as far 

 as they prove superior to other sorts. 



The Columbia cotton, an eai-ly long-staple type originated several 

 years ago in South Carolina by Dr. II. J. Webber, proves to be well 

 adapted to large areas in the eastern part of the cotton belt. The 

 advance of the boll weevil has reduced the production of long-staple 

 Upland cotton in Mississippi and Louisiana, resulting in an acute 

 commercial demand for this type of fiber. The action of State quar- 

 antine laws against the importation of cotton from sections infested 

 with the cotton boll weevil and the liigh prices realized by eastern 

 growers of the Columbia variety have stimulated interest in this 

 variety to the extent that all the available supplies of good seed have 

 been exhausted for some time. Special efforts are being made to pre- 

 serve the uniformity of this variety by gro^sdng new supplies of seed 

 under conditions of isolation from other cotton and by more effective 

 cooperation in the work of selection. 



Other long-staple varieties have been developed by Mr. D. A. 

 Saunders in Texas and Louisiana, with the object of replacing the 

 late varieties of long-staple cotton formerly grown extensively in the 

 Mississippi and Red River valleys. The Foster variety, of which a 

 limited distribution was made in 1910, has given excellent results 

 in some localities, but is too susceptible to differences in external 

 conditions to be recommended for general planting. The variety was 

 originated from a hybrid between two distinct types, the long-staple 

 Upland and the Texas big-boll, which doubtless explains the tendency 

 to variation. 



Tests are also being made of two other varieties with, long lint 

 originated by Mr. Saunders by the selection of individual variations 

 from the Texas big-boll type. One of these has much the same habits 

 of growth as the well-known Triumph variety, but has still larger 

 bolls and leaves of a somewhat paler green. The lint has a length 

 of about IJ or IfV inches. 



The Lone Star variety, another selection from the Texas big-boll 

 type, is receiving \^'ide distribution m Texas and other weevil- 

 infested States and is giving very satisfactory results. If adequate 

 provision can be made for maintaining the uniformity of the stock 

 by selection the variety is likely to become as important as the now 

 famous Triumph cotton, or perhaps even more so. The two varieties 

 are quite similar, and under some conditions are not easily distin- 

 guishable. In other places the Lone Star shows distinct elements of 

 superiority in the larger bolls, longer lint, and especially in the greater 

 ability of the plants to maintain an erect position instead of becoming 

 prostrate, as the Triumph cotton often does when it makes a luxu- 



[Cir. 96] 



