The Bulletin. 21 



2. Sandy and sandy-loam soils, whether fertilized or unfertilized, 

 yield a larger jjerccntage of total cotton open at the first two pickings 

 combined than do red-clay soils. 



3. High phosphoric acid (NP.^K) fertilization on sandy and 

 sandj'-loam soils, and heavy X (ISTPK) applications on red-clay soils 

 produced the largest percoutages of cotton open at the first picking. 



4. ISTormal (jSTPK) fertilization yields on both sandy and red- 

 clay soils a larger percentage open at the first picking than high 

 nitrogen (IST^PK) applications, while the reverse is true when total 

 per cent open at end of second picking is considered. 



5. High nitrogen (ISToPK) applications generally yield on all 

 soils larger percentages open at the first picking than high potash 

 (NPK3) fertilization. 



COREELATION OF CHAEACTERS OF VARIETIES. 



With cotton, as with other crops, it is of the highest importance for 

 farmers and imperative for all those who are studying and trying to 

 improve varieties, to know what characters are usually antagonistic 

 and what ones are mutually helpful in their economic development. 



In Table VI are compiled, in concise form, the results of three 

 years' tests at Edgecombe and Iredell and two years at Red Springs ; 

 and from this compilation, supplemented by observation in the field 

 and at the gin, the following tentative inferences are made in refer- 

 ence to the varieties of upland cotton tested, when grown under the 

 conditions 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 only a short 

 growing period is afforded for any reason the earlier maturing varie- 

 ties 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 the Iredell farm, where 

 the gTowing period for cotton during an average season is compara- 

 tively 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) Increasing the oil-content of the seed of any variety is accom- 

 panied by an increase in the tensile strength of its fiber without neces- 

 sarily decreasing its per cent to seed, and conversely. (5) Leng-then- 

 ing the staple of any variety through selection tends to the reduction 

 of the percentage of lint and to a decrease in its diameter and tensile 

 strength, and conversely. (6) Small-boiled varieties are not generally 

 easily picked, and hence are unpopular with pickers. 



Associated Characters. — (1) Varieties that mature early usually 

 have small seed and produce a high percentage of lint to seed. (2) \'a- 

 rieties with short staple usually have medium to high percentages of 



