FARM CROPS 



153 



this latter variety. The seeds of this sea-island cotton are 

 small, smooth, and black. They are so smooth and stick 

 so loosely to the lint that they are separated from the 

 lint by roller instead of saw gins. When these seeds are 



FIG. 145. READY FOR PICKING 



planted away from the soil and air of their ocean home, 

 they increase in size and stickiness. 



Many attempts have been made to increase the length 

 of the staple of the upland varieties. Some of the meth- 

 ods tried were as follows : selection of seed having a long 

 fiber ; special cultivation and fertilization ; crossing the 

 short -stapled variety on the long-stapled variety. This last 

 process, as already explained, is called hybridizing. Some 

 of these attempts have, in a measure, succeeded, and every 

 farmer ought to plant seed from the longest-stapled variety 

 that his land will grow. Moreover, his seed should be 

 selected from the stalks that have the largest bolls and the 

 greatest number to the stalk. 



The cotton plant is nourished by a tap root that will seek 

 food as deeply as loose earth will permit it to penetrate ; hence 



