THE TEXTILE PLANTS 65 



rust as revealed in Professor Biffen's experi- 

 ments with wheat. 



Whether or not such is the case, it may be 

 expected that the cotton plants that show resist- 

 ance will transmit this propensity to some of 

 their offspring. It is obvious that an investiga- 

 tion of the hereditary tendencies of cotton in 

 this regard, coupled with experiments looking to 

 the improvement of the quality of the fiber itself, 

 should have at once a high degree of interest for 

 the plant developer and the promise of large 

 reward to both grower and consumer. 



The geographical location of my experiment 

 farms makes it difficult for me to experiment 

 with so tender a plant. 



But I have thought that a somewhat extended 

 account of the work of others in the selective 

 breeding of this plant would be of interest, partly 

 because it suggests such close analogies with 

 numerous experiments already detailed. I would 

 urge upon the attention of plant experimenters 

 who are located within the cotton belt the possi- 

 bility of applying the principles that we have 

 seen outlined in many hybridizing experiments 

 to the improvement of a plant which, despite the 

 excellence of its product, is by no means perfect. 



The fundamental principles of plant develop- 

 ment are everywhere the same, and the methods 



3 vol. 6 Bur. 



