266 BuLLKTiN 90 



to be mixed more or less with inferior seed, and its use will in time 

 result in decreased yields. 



Those who have the time and who are especially interested in cot- 

 ton breeding may find it worth while to grow a separate small field 

 of cotton from which seed is selected for the following year's planting. 

 On this special field great care should be taken to rogue out and de- 

 stroy all plants of undesirable or inferior type and all plants that fail 

 to produce a reasonable number of matured bolls. In addition to this 

 general precaution, the fiber itself should be examined ; and if any of 

 the plants have produced fiber that is short and weak, they should be 

 discarded. The seed that is to be used for planting purposes should be 

 fully matured before the first freeze of consequence in the fall. Be- 

 cause early setting and maturing of bolls is very desirable in American 

 Egyptian cotton, it is advisable to select seed from plants that show 

 this character. 



The average farmer in Arizona uses twenty-five to thirty-five 

 pounds of seed per acre when planting cotton. Although one-half of 

 this amount will give a sufficient stand if seed is good and soil and 

 weather conditions are ideal, still it is advisable to use the amount in- 

 dicated and later thin to the proper stand. 



LAND ADAPTED TO GROWING COTTON 



A rich sandy loam soil, well supplied with humus, is ideal for the 

 growing of cotton. Very light sandy soils as a rule do not produce 

 heavy crops of cotton. Heavy adobe soils are unsatisfactory because 

 of the trouble experienced in securing a good stand, and because of 

 the difficulty of irrigating properly. However, with good care, cotton 

 can be produced upon practically any soil that is suitable for general 

 farming. 



PREPARATION OF LAND FOR PLANTING 



Thorough preparation of the land for cotton pays, and pays well. 

 Cotton is a cash crop. A good quality of clean, strong fiber brings a 

 better price than fiber that is weak, dirty, or inferior for any other 

 reason. Well-prepared land will produce more fiber, longer fiber, 

 and stronger fiber than poorly prepared land. Cotton from a field that 

 produces a heavy crop is easier to pick and keep clean and free from 

 dirt and trash than cotton with small, poorly opened bolls. If land is 

 to be properly prepared for cotton, the preparation should begin sev- 

 eral months before the planting season. Coarse trash or other material 

 on the ground must be chopped fine and plowed under or otherwise 



