Varieties. 



In 1897 the number of varieties tested was 32, of which 

 17 were well-known varieties and 15 crosses originated several 

 years ago by the station botanist, Prof. P. H. Mell. The 

 parentage of these varieties was noted in Bulletin No. 56 of 

 this Station. 



The rows were 3^ feet apart. Thinning was done after 

 counting the plants, so as to leave an equal number on each 

 plot. The average distance between plants was 18 inches on 

 all plots, except on those planted in Bates and Griffin, where a 

 poor stand was obtained, the average distance between plants 

 being nearly 24 inches with Griffin and nearly 40 inches with 

 Bates. No corrections have been made for this very defective 

 stand on these two plots, although it is evident that both vari- 

 eties are at a disadvantage. 



Peerless cotton was planted on 7 plots as a means of 

 ascertaining the amount of any variations in the natural fer- 

 tility of the field. The field was found to vary so much that 

 one variety could not fairly be directly compared with all 

 others. 



However, the frequently repeated Peerless plots enable us 

 to calculate approximately what would be the yield of each 

 plot if planted with the Peerless variety. In so doing the 

 actual yield of the Peerless plot on either side is given a weight 

 inversely proportional to its distance from each plot for 

 which the calculation is made. The amount by which 

 any variety exceeds the calculated yield of Peerless on 

 a given plot is believed to be the best measure of the natural 

 productiveness of that variety under the weather conditions 

 prevailing in 1897. Therefore in this bulletin the varieties 

 are ranked in order of productiveness according to the amount 

 of lint by which they exceed Peerless in that part of the field. 

 The actual yields, both of seed cotton at the time of ginning, 

 and of lint, are also given. 



The following table contains these data, and also figures 

 indicating the percentage of lint in seed cotton and the relative 

 earliness of each variety, as indicated by the percentage of the 

 total crop obtained at the first picking, August 31 : 



