The Bulletin. 45 



Truitt's Improved ranked third in 1902, eighth in lUOo and 

 twenty-first in 1905 at Edgecombe; eighth in 1903 at Eed Springs, 

 and ninth in 1903 and twenty-second in 1905 at Iredell. 



COREELATION OF CHARACTERS OF VARIETIES OF COTTON. 



With cotton, as with corn, it is of the highest importance for farm- 

 ers and imperative for all those who are studying or trying to im- 

 prove varieties, to know what characters are usually antagonistic 

 and what ones are mutually helpful in their economic development. 

 In Table XI are compiled, in concise form, the results of three years' 

 tests at Edgecombe and Iredell farms and two years at Ked Springs. 

 Erom this compilation, supplemented by observation in the field and 

 at the gin, the following tentative inferences are made in reference 

 to the varieties of upland cotton tested, when grown under the condi- 

 tions of climate and soil as represented by these three farms : 



Antagonistic Characters. — (1) Earliness in maturity is not usu- 

 ally conducive to large yields, although in areas where a short-grow- 

 ing period is afforded the earlier maturing varieties often give the 

 greater yields (but these are not large generally) as is shown by 

 King's Improved, which, during the past three years, has proven the 

 most prolific of seed cotton at tbe Iredell farm where the growing 

 period for cotton during an average season is comparatively short. 

 (2) Varieties that have large seed generally yield a small percentage 

 of lint to seed. (3) Late-maturing varieties do not generally produce 

 seed cotton that yields a high percentage of lint, although the number 

 of pounds of lint per acre may be large. (4) Small-boiled varieties 

 are not generally easily picked and hence are unpopular with pickers. 



Associated Characters. — (1) Varieties that mature early tend to 

 the production of seed cotton that contains a high percentage of lint 

 to seed. (2) Varieties with short staple usually have a high per- 

 centage of lint and vice versa. (3) Varieties with large bolls gen- 

 erally have large seed and small percentage of lint. (4) The larger 

 the yield of seed cotton per acre, through proper fertilization or favor- 

 able seasonal conditions, the lower the percentage of lint to seed, even 

 of the same variety. (5) Good root and leaf development of a va- 

 riety tend to increase power of resistance to drought, insect and dis- 

 ease ravages. 



SELECTING SEED FOR IMPROVEMENT. 



With cotton it is of the highest importance that seed for planting 

 purposes be selected from plants in the field, having especial refer- 

 ence to total yield of seed cotton, percentage yield of lint, date of 

 maturity, vigor, hardiness, form and size of bolls, leaves, stalks, limbs, 

 etc., because here also, as with animals, like has a decidedly strong 

 tendency to produce or beget like. Above all things, the practice of 



