124 COTTON CULTURE. 



it better than the original accidental variety ; for I learn 

 from Mr. Boyd that the ' Prolific ' seed, which has become 

 so noted, originated from an accidental stalk which he 

 found among his cotton, which he considered very remark- 

 able for the number of bolls it contained. He carefully 

 preserved all the seed of this extraordinary specimen, and 

 very properly names it the 'Prolific.' 'Silk' is perhaps 

 better for all descriptions of land ; many of my friends 

 prefer it to 'Banana,' objecting to the latter for poor 

 lands, and also for rich fresh land. On the first the forms 

 dry up, and on the latter the stalk becomes so rank, that 

 it breaks down. This latter defect can be remedied by 

 topping. ' Sugar-loaf is best upon new ground, where 

 the soil is rich. and the growth sweet gum. I have made 

 a bale and a quarter to the acre the first year the land was 

 cleared. The ' Hundred Seed ' still retains its popularity, 

 as suitable for rich, fresh land." 



As an instance of the manner in which many somewhat 

 celebrated varieties have originated, the following circum- 

 stance is subjoined. In 1847, Colonel II. W. Vick, 

 who had been . for fifteen or twenty years selecting and 

 improving his seed, made up eight small parcels of cotton 

 in the seed, and sent them to Mr. Phillips, requesting his 

 examination and the results of his experimenting. One 

 of these packages was marked " Belle Creole," not known 

 at all as "a distinct variety, but resembling the "Silk." 

 Mr. Phillips planted these eight varieties in the spring, 

 cultivated and picked them with his own hands, taking 

 special care in the selection of the finest bolls on each 

 plant. From the growth of the seventh package he 

 selected a small number of the finest bolls, and sent some 

 to Governor Hammond, of South Carolina, and another 

 package to J. V. Jones, a planter in Georgia, who was 

 quite well known as an agricultural writer under the sig- 

 nature of " Jethro." Out of compliment to Mr. Jones 

 this was called the " Jethro " seed, and is regarded as a 



