26 THE BOLL WEEVIL PROBLEM. 
the eastern portion of the cotton belt most of the farmers have ac- 
quired this experience. In the West, however, this training is lack- 
ing. Farmers interested should communicate with the State experi- 
ment stations and obtain the latest bulletins regarding experiments 
with fertilizers in their own regions. 
Use of early varieties of cotton.—Next in importance to early prepa- 
ration, and fertilization (where necessary), in obtaining an early 
crop of cotton comes the use of early varieties. In all experiments 
that have been undertaken the advantage in the use of early varieties 
has been conspicuous. As in other cases, the greatest advantage in 
this instance comes with the joint use of the other expedients recom- 
mended for weevil control. By far the best method for obtaining 
seed of early maturing cotton is for the farmer to carry on the 
selection himself. In many cases, however, this is impracticable. 
Under such circumstances the farmer should obtain seed of improved 
varieties from dealers or such individual farmers in the locality as 
have been able to carry on careful seed selection. A valuable publica- 
tion on the selection of cotton varieties has been published by this 
department as Farmers’ Bulletin No. 314, “A Method of Breeding 
Early Cotton to Escape Boll Weevil amane by R. L. Bennett. 
A copy may be obtained by any planter on application to the Secre- 
tary of Agriculture. 
Standard early varieties of cotton—There are a number of stipe 
varieties that have been found of value in weevil-infested regions the 
seed of which may be obtained from seed dealers. Among them are 
the Rowden, Triumph, Cleveland Big Boll, Cook’s Improved, and 
King. All of these except the King have either medium-sized or 
large bolls. The King has a small boll, about 80 being required to 
make a pound, but is remarkably early and has given the best yields 
in most of the experiments of the Bureau of Entomology.’ Hawkins’ 
1 Some of the early maturing varieties of cotton happen to have small bolls, although 
the plant breeders hold that there is no necessity of an early maturing cotton haying 
small bolls. In view of the fact, however, that some of the best known early maturing 
varieties at the present time have undersized bolls, occasional objections have been 
made to planting them. It is true that the picking of cotton from these varieties some- 
times involves difficulties. In some cases it is known that pickers have refused to pick 
small-boll cottons while any other cotton was available despite the offer of additional pay- 
ment on account of slow picking in the fields of the smaller bolled cotton. This is an 
actual, practical difficulty that must be taken into consideration. At the present time 
it is sufficient to call attention to the fact that the practical disadvantage of small bolls 
may not be so important as appears at first glance. For instance, if small-boll varieties 
yield 100 pounds of seed cotton per acre more than ordinary cotton, this gain would per- 
mit the farmer to pay 10 per cent more for picking, with profit. Thus: 
750 pounds small-boll cotton per acre picket at $1 per ewt., cotton at $3 per 
(Oyiltey Wei | 1) H0)i Pee ee ee ee eS a Se a se See et eee _~ $15. 00 
650 pounds large-boll cotton per acre picked at 90 cents per cwt., cotton sold 
at $3 per ewt., net profit == === eee 13. 65 
Difference in favor of small-boll’ cotton-_—_—_----=—___=-=__ = = See 1. 35 
512 
