The Bulletin. 73 



cient number of years is not yet in hand to justify anything like defi- 

 nite statements in reference to them and their adaptability to different 

 localities, 



COERELATION 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 XII are compiled, in concise form, the results of three years' 

 tests at Edgecombe, four at Iredell, and two at Red Springs. From 

 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 gTOwn 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 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 four years, has proven the 

 most prolific of seed cotton at the 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 pro- 

 duce 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 tends to increase power of resistance to drought, insect and dis- 



ease ravages. 



PROPER PLACE TO SELECT SEED. 



With cotton, as with any other staple crop, the place to sele(5t seed 

 for the next year's planting is in the field — selecting with reference 

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

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

 resistance to disease and insect ravages. By selecting from stalks 



