Department of Agriculture 31 



possible. The removal of mixed plant after large bolls have 

 developed is, of course, worth while, but it is best to remove 

 them while small. The remaining plants produce better and 

 the seed are improved for they do not become contaminated 

 by pollen from hybrid plants. 



Mixed plants can be recognized with a little practice. They 

 usually have a broader, greener leaf, and a fuzzy bud. The 

 squares are usually larger and more stocky, and generally 

 three dots will be found on the base. These dots are seldom 

 present on pure Sea Island squares. The contents of large 

 Sea Island squares are a deep yellow, and of most hybrid 

 squares a light yellow. The blossoms of Sea Island cotton are 

 deep yellow, with a purple coloration inside at the base of the 

 blossom, while upland cotton blossoms are white. 



A practical procedure for a farmer who wishes to save 

 planting seed is to select an area in the field where the cot- 

 ton appears to be least mixed, and rogue that area very 

 thoroughly, pulling up every plant that is off-type. The cot- 

 ton from this area should be harvested and ginned separately. 

 The next best procedure is for the farmer to inspect a num- 

 ber of his neighbor's fields during the growing season, and 

 buy seed from one that has an unmixed strain. 



Date of Planting 



Too much emphasis cannot be placed on the necessity of 

 planting Sea Island cotton as early as possible. The crop 

 must be made before the summer migration of the weevil 

 begins. It is practically impossible to produce an early crop 

 of Sea Island cotton that is planted late. 



In the northern part of the Sea Island Belt, if Sea Island 

 cannot be planted by March 25, it should not be planted. As 

 far south as Ocala, it should be planted by March 1. In the 

 more southern counties, such as Brevard and Hillsborough, 

 it should be planted by Feb. 15. These are the latest plant- 

 ing dates recommended. If weather is suitable, it should be 

 planted earlier. 



In case a killing frost occurs after the cotton is up, it can 

 be planted over. In such an event, all cotton will be late, and 

 consequently the summer weevil migration will also be late, 

 leaving the second planting of Sea Island at no disadvan- 

 tage. However, if half the upland and Sea Island plantings 

 are made by March 20, and the remainder around April 1, 

 the late-planted Sea Island will have two weeks less in which 

 to produce cotton than it should have, because of the weevil 

 migration from the early plantings. 



