VARIATIOIQ^S IN KEKCHI COTTON. 15 



quick-maturing varieties of cotton from tropical countries on the 

 ground that cold weather will exclude them from the United States. 

 The early spring is the only time in which they will be likely to 

 encounter adverse conditions in this respect, and if varieties can be 

 secured which are able to mature a satisfactory cro}) in a short season^ 

 these quick-maturing qualities will far more than compensate for any 

 lack of ability to withstand cold weather in the early spring. 



The Kekchi cotton may prove, however, to be quite as tolerant of 

 cold as the other Upland varieties now cultivated in the United 

 States." In its native country it is planted in October and grows 

 throughout the winter months in mountain valleys where tempera- 

 tures of between 40° and 60° F. are not infrequent. (PL I.) 



VARIATIONS IN THE KEKCHI COTTON. 



Very great diversity of size, habit of growth, and other features 

 exists in the Indian cotton of the vicinity of Secanquim and Cajabon. 

 The plants cultivated by Mr. John H. Kinsler on the United States 

 system were also very diiferent from any grown by the Indians, 

 being much more robust and compact than in the more crowded 

 native fields. The spreading lateral branches and low, compact 

 growth of the Kekchi cotton, as shoAvn in Plate II. figure 1, might have 

 cultural disadvantages if these tendencies were to be maintained in 

 regular field cultures. Such, however, is not likely to be the case. 

 ^Mien growing closer together the plants are more upright and less 

 leafy below. 



To what extent the differences observed thus far represent varietal 

 characters can scarcely be determined without a field test of the 

 apparently different strains, side by side. The broken, precipitous 

 nature of the country renders it impossible to rely upon comparisons 

 of the conditions of the different fields. 



The conservatiA^e agricultural habits of the Indians would tend to 

 the continued planting by one man or family of the same seed for 

 long periods of years, wJiich might well conduce to the formation of 

 separate strains. The low germinating power of the seed may pos- 

 sibly be due to such inbi'eeding, though it is more likely that it deteri- 

 orates because of the humidity of the climate.'^ Nevertheless, our 

 experiments Avere sufficient to prove that even among plants grown 

 from seed raised by the same Indian there Avere very appreciable 



« This was shown to be a fact before the report was printerL See p. 18. 



6 The Indians appreciate the fact that the cotton seed does not germinate well. 

 They are accustomed to plant six seeds together, from which two or three plants 

 usually reach maturity, often with one or two insignificant d\Tarfs underneath. 

 The yield per plant in these crowded fields is naturally very small, but the larger 

 individuals often bear from 20 to .30 bolls. At Kabinal from H to 10 jilants in a 

 cluster is the rule, the product of the individual being still further reduced. 



