260 



KUMPTA COTTON AND ITS IMPROVEMENT 



1910 the mass selection was discontinued and uixit selection frcm the plants 

 which appeared to have the largest combuiation of useful properties, and which 

 bred true to type Avhen self -fertilized, was adopted. In 1912 the erect strains 

 of kumpta were found to be superior in yield to the bushy type and selection 

 was principally continued chiefly with this type. The main object was still 

 the selection of the best staple cotton from the ordinary humjita, but attention 

 now was also directed to the ginning outtmn. The final selection of "Dhai'war 

 No, 1 " was made m J 913, as the type seemed to possess a combination of erect 

 character of plant, high yield, high-ginning percentage, and gocd staple. 



One of the special features of value in " Dharwar No. 1 " is the evenne.' s of the 

 staple. The length of the cotton fibres on the seeds of two hundred plants was deter- 

 mined by the method described on page 248 and the following are the results : — 



Total number of jjlauts examined 

 Staple of U"7 inch 

 „ 0-8 „ 

 >> »> t)'J „ 

 „ 1-0 » 



200 

 plants 

 24 „ 

 72 „ 

 84 „ 

 20 „ 



The attached frequency curve (Fig. 17) shows the position, and should 

 be compared with the curve for ordinary kumpta shown on page 249 (Fig. 13). 



The mean is 0"95. The standard deviation and the co-efi&cient of vari- 

 ability are O'OSOG and 0"034 respectively. 



The staple of the " Dharwar No. 1 " has remained ever since distinctly 

 higher than the ordinary kmnpta cotton, and its strength is also good. The 

 staple measures about one inch, and is, of com'se, more uniform. The follow- 

 ing are valuations and remarks very kindly made by the valuers of Messrs. 

 Tata and Sons, Bombav, for each year from 1914 to 1918. 



