4 BULLETIN 279, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGBICULTUEE. 



the first representing early, the second late, and the third very late 

 thinning. 



In section D the two systems were compared in alternate rows, 

 the rows being planted 3, 4, 5, and 6 feet apart. 



A guard row between sections A and B was not thinned at any time 

 during the season. 



Throughout this paper the rows representing the common practice 

 of wide spacing are designated as wide-spaced rows and those repre- 

 senting the new system of close spacing are referred to as single- 

 stalk rows. 



PLANTING AND GERMINATION OF SEED. 



It has been found desirable to plant from 25 to 30 pounds of seed 

 to the acre if the rows are 4 feet apart, in order to secure a stand 



HmTT 



SECT/ ON A 



40 ROWS 4 FEET APART 

 IN WHICH OLD AND NEW 

 SYSTEMS ARE COM- 

 PARED /N ALTERNATE 

 SINGLE ROWS. 



rm 



SECT/ON B 



40 ROWS 4 FEET APART 

 /N WHICH OLD AND NEW 

 SYSTEMS ARE COM- 

 PARED //V ALTERNATE 

 BLOCKS. 



SEC T/ON 

 C 



3 BLOCKS 

 OF S ROWS 

 THINNED 



TO 

 DIFFERENT 

 DISTANCES 



ON 



DIFFERENT 



DATES. 



$ k UK 





SECTION D 



OLD AND NEW 

 SYSTEMS OF 

 CULTURE COM- 

 PARED IN AL 

 TERN ATE ROWS 

 DIFFERENT 

 DISTANCES 

 APART. 



V k k h 



Fig. 1. 



-Plan of the freld at San Antonio, Tex., in which the common system of wide spacing and the 

 new single-stalk system of cotton culture were tested and compared in 1914. 



in which the young plants become crowded sufficiently to restrict 

 the development of the vegetative branches. Accordingly, the seed 

 for the San Antonio test was sowed at the rate of about 30 pounds to 

 the acre. The planting was done on April 14, with a 2-row planter. 

 Heavy rains and low temperatures rendered the conditions unfa- 

 vorable for the germination of seed; but on account of the high rate 

 of seeding a good stand was obtained. Nearly all rows had a short 

 "skip" or two in which no plants appeared, but none of these skips 

 were more than a few feet long, and it is believed that they had little 

 effect on the yields. The skips were more numerous in section B 

 than in any other section of the field, but were as frequent in single- 

 stalk blocks as in wide-spaced blocks, and they therefore balanced 

 the comparison of the two systems. Aside from these occasional 

 skips, the stand was very satisfactory. 



