12 



plant increased rapidly as the space allowed to each was 

 enlarged. 



It should be remembered that the Truitt variety makes a 

 large growth, and that its originator recommends thin planting 

 for this variety. With Peerless, a smaller variety, planted in 

 1896 on a more sandy soil, best results were obtained by 

 spacing either 12 or 18 inches in rows 42 inches apart. 



The average percentages of the whole crop that were 

 obtained at the first picking, August 26, were as follows : 42 

 per cent, for plants 12 inches apart; 38 per cent, for plants 

 spaced 18 inches; 30 per cent, for plants 24 inches apart; 26 

 per cent, for plants spaced 30 inches; and 28 per cent, for 

 plants 36 inches apart. These averages suggest that thin 

 planting retarded opening and that very thick planting decid- 

 edly hastened the maturity of the plants. However, different 

 plots planted at identical distances varied considerably in the 

 percentage of the total crop which was open at the time of the 

 first picking. 



Topping. 



One plot of Truitt cotton planted April 19 in a part of the 

 field used for distance experiments was topped July 22, and 

 another plot was topped August 19. Two plots were not 

 topped. The distance between plants was 18 inches, and the 

 rows 3 feet 4 inches apart. 



The following table gives the results : 



Topping vs. tiot topping cotton. 



