14 BULLETIN" 458, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



from waste, when grown in rich soil which is sufficiently irrigated 

 and when the cotton has been carefully picked. The l T ] «-inch 

 staple Durango cotton and the greater portion of the soft and wasty- 

 fiber cotton grown in the Imperial Valley during the season 1915-16, 

 was found to be volunteer or " ratooned " Durango. 1 



The Durango cotton of 1^-inch staple may be produced by several 

 different causes. Durango seed from 1^-inch staple will reproduce 

 cotton of similar staple, provided it is planted in soil of equal rich- 

 ness, given the proper cultivation, and is sufficiently irrigated. The 

 same rule holds good in the production of l T : V-inch, l|-inch, and lyV 

 inch staple cotton from Durango seed. Cotton picked from bolls 

 killed by frost will be found to be of weaker staple than that gath- 

 ered from mature bolls. 



The various lengths of staple of Durango cotton may be attributed 

 to the quality of the seed planted and the condition of the soil, such 

 as soft, hard, or sandy loam, which determines the readiness of the 

 soil to absorb water when irrigated and its capacity to retain mois- 

 ture. It is very important that the land should be level, so it can be 

 irrigated evenly, the water being distributed equally over the field. 

 If the soil is of equal quality over such a field, the length of the staple 

 of cotton grown therein will be uniform. When the length of staple 

 varies in the same seed in the same or in adjacent fields, it is usually 

 because of a difference in the quality of the soil or because the land 

 is not level, which prevents uniform irrigation. 



Studies indicate that the length of staple will deteriorate if the 

 seed is planted in soil that is depleted of nitrogen and humus matter, 

 or in soil which contains too much alkali. It is said that the staple 

 will also deteriorate if the land has not been put into good condition 

 beforehand, or if it is not well cultivated afterwards and given the 

 proper amount of water. 



The Durango staple will increase in length, strength, and silkiness, 

 provided the seed is planted in good, rich soil. A light loam that has 

 been planted in alfalfa for several years and pastured and then put 

 into good condition, cultivated well, and irrigated throughout the 

 growing season should produce an excellent staple. There are rec- 

 ords of Durango cotton grown in such land which stapled l T 5 g- inches 

 in length and which sold at top prices in eastern markets. 



MARKETING OF DURANGO COTTON. 



During the season 1915-16 Durango cotton of the Imperial Valley 

 was marketed in various ways, the growers' association utilizing ex- 

 isting methods and also devising others of its own. 



1 Scofleld, C. S., Kearney, T. II., Brand, C. J., Cook, O. F., and Swingle, W. T., Com- 

 munity Production of Egyptian Cotton in the United States. U. S. Dept. Agr. Bui. 332, 

 1916 ; see page 25. 



