COTTON CULTURE. 123 



dred Seed,' ' Guatemala,' ' Brown Seed,' and others. Ex- 

 cept the ' Guatemala,' they are all, I believe, mere selec- 

 tions from the Mexican." 



Probably the most noted and, on many accounts, the 

 best varieties or developments from the original "Petit 

 Gulf," are the "Prolific " and the " Sugar-loaf " seeds. A 

 planter in Hinds County, writing upon the characteristics 

 of the latter variety in 1848, says : " This day, being 

 called into my field south of my pasture, where I have my 

 selected 'Sugar-loaf seed planted, I was so forcibly 

 struck with the prospect, that I conceive it my duty to 

 draw attention thereto. I saw, repeatedly, limbs with six, 

 eight, ten and twelve bolls and forms, which were not 

 that many inches long ; I could span so as to reach ten 

 without any exertion. I have forty acres planted with 

 Sugar-loaf seed, and think, I can reasonably calculate on 

 fifty bales, and I do not know of any other forty acres of 

 Petit Gulf seed, in this region, which promises forty bales. 

 My seeds have been planted remote from others for these 

 two years ; they were selected from the field by myself, 

 assisted by a very careful laborer ; yet I find a great ten- 

 dency in this seed, as in all the improved varieties, to run 

 back, which can only be guarded against by careful, 

 yearly selection." 



The same agriculturist, writing seven years later, in 

 '1855, gives the following summary with regard to the 

 improved cotton seed in that vicinity. " We will plant as 

 nearly an entire crop, as we have good seed, with the 

 'Cluster' cotton seed. This is the original name, but 

 known now by as many different styles as there are per- 

 sons who desire to make money by selling seed. We ex- 

 pect to plant 'Silk,' ' Hundred Seed,' 'Sugar-loaf,' 'Draw,' 

 and small parcels of others. The ' Cluster,' or ' Banana,' 

 has been much improved. The best now on sale is 

 ' Boyd's Prolific ' ; from this I have culled very carefully 

 for three years. Many who have seen this selection deem 



