DURANGO COTTON IN THE IMPERIAL VALLEY. 19 



One of the most peculiar characters is shown in the seedlings. In 

 most other kinds of cotton the seedlings produce at least two or three 

 simple oval leaves before beginning to develop leaves of the usual 

 lobed form of the adult plant. But in Durango cotton a large pro- 

 portion of the seedlings have lobes on all the leaves, including the first 

 leaf above the seed leaves. This character might be of use in deter- 

 mining early in the season whether any planting of Durango cotton 

 is pure. The oidy other variety that has been found to have any 

 considerable proportion of the first leaves lobed is the Alien. 



In Durango cotton the tendency to produce vegetative branches is 

 less than in most other varieties, and it can be reduced still further by 

 leaving the plants close together in the rows. Earlier crops and 

 larger yields have been obtained in this way than by the usual method 

 of thinning the plants early to 2 feet or upward. Some of the best 

 yields have been obtained from plants only 6 or 8 inches apart in the 

 rows. 



Another peculiarity of Durango cotton is the unusually small size 

 of the involucral bracts. The difference in this respect between the 

 Durango and the Triumph or other Texas big-boll varieties is very 

 striking. The smaller bracts of the Durango cotton are a distinct 

 advantage from the standpoint of clean picking, for the ends of the 

 dry bracts are not so likely to be broken off and gathered with the 

 fiber (fig. 4). Fragments of the involucral bracts furnish a large part 

 of the "trash" that goes to the gin with the cotton and lowers the 

 grade of the bale. 



The following formal description of the Durango variety has been 

 supplied in connection with the congressional seed distribution: 



Plan! <if uprighl habit with a strong central stalk and rather stiff ascending vegeta- 

 tive branches. Fruiting branches of moderate length or rather short , under sonic con- 

 ditions becoming semicluster. Foliage rather deep green, reddening early in the 

 season. Leaves of medium size, usually with five or seven rather narrow tapering lobes, 

 leaves with three lobes being less frequent than in most other varieties of upland 

 cotton. Involucral bracts with rather small, triangular cordate bracts, margined 

 with rather short teeth. Calyx lobes irregular in length, sometimes very long and 

 slender. Bolls of medium or rather large size; under favorable conditions about GO 

 to the pound. Shape of bolls conic oval with nearly smooth surface, the oil glands 

 deeply buried. (Fio-. 5.) The proportion of five locked bolls varie: usually from 40 

 to 50 per cent. Seeds of medium size, covered with white fuzz and uniform abundant 

 lint about 1] inches long under favorable conditions. 



THE PURE-SEED PROBLEM. 



As uniformity is a prime requisite with long-staple cotton, it is idle 

 to expect that a prosperous long-staple industry can be built up in 

 the Imperial Valley or elsewhere unless provision is made for main- 

 taining the purity of the variety on which the industry is based. 

 With short-staple cotton uniformity in the plants is important as a 

 [Cir. Ill] 



