12 CIBCULAE NO. 121, BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY. 



SUMMARY. 



Durango cotton is a long-staple Upland cotton recently placed in 

 commercial culture in the Imperial Valley through the distribution 

 of seed by the United States De])artment of Agriculture. It pro- 

 duces an even fiber 1^ to 1^ inches long, }delds heavily, and turns 

 out 31 to 32 per cent of lint. It has large bolls and can be picked 

 about as easily as short-staple cotton. 



More than 6,000 acres will be planted to Durango long-staple cot- 

 ton in the Imperial Valley in 1913. About 4,500 acres will be planted 

 to mixed valley-grown seed. The remaining acreage will be planted 

 to Durango seed brought from Texas, some of which is known to be 

 free from mixture with other varieties of cotton. About 20,000 acres 

 will be planted to short-staple cotton in the same valley. 



A long-staple cotton industry based on Durango cotton can be 

 established only by maintaining clean and select stocks of Durango 

 seed and hj using the proper cultural methods to provide normal 

 gi-owth for the plants and fiber. A gi'eat advantage can be gained 

 by better methods of picking and handling the mature crop. 



Each individual who plants clean Durango seed tliis spring should 

 assume the res])onsibility of providing clean seed from his crop foi' 

 l)lanting extensively throughout the valley in 1914. In order to 

 provide such clean seed he must take every precaution until the seed 

 is finally sacked next fall to prevent mixture with other cotton. 



Planters of mixed seed by industrious attention to the removal 

 of plants of foreign varieties from their mixed Durango fields can 

 insure themselves a more valuable product in evener fiber than if 

 they leave the short-staple plants to be picked with the Durango. 

 By application to the matter of distinguishing the Durango plant 

 type from plants of other varieties in his own field the planter of 

 mixed seed takes a step toward learning to breed superior cotton. 



Cotton growers should compare Durango with Mebane plants at 

 then* first opportunity and distinguish for themselves the differences 

 in the leaf and bract characteristics-. 



No seed from mixed Durango fields should be preserved for i)lanting 

 in 1914. 



Durango cotton 1 ^e t<> H inches long and of even-running length can 

 be produced only by providing conditions of cidture that will allow 

 normal, unaccelerated, and unchecked gi'owth of the plant. Under- 

 watering or overwatering or any shocking of the plant growth ^^'ill 

 tend to cause unevenness and other undeshable features in the fiber. 



Clean picking (to exclude trash) should be insisted upon, as it 

 insures a clean grade, which is of decided advantage in selhng. 



The centralization of the ginning of all Durango cotton gl■o^\^l in 

 the Imperial Valley will prove of definite advantage to gi'ower and 

 ginner alike. 



ICir. IL'IJ 



