SINGLE-STALK COTTON CULTURE AT SAN" ANTONIO. 19 



of branches as the distance between the plants increased, regardless 

 of the time of thinning. 



The yields were closely associated with the distance between the 

 plants in the row. This is illustrated in Plate V, figure 2, which 

 shows the first picking from rows of Acala cotton thinned at the ordi- 

 nary time, the plants being left 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 inches apart in 

 the different rows. As the distance between the plants increased, 

 the yields decreased. 



The rows that were thinned late gave higher yields than those 

 thinned either early or very late. 



RESULTS IN DISTANCE-BETWEEN-ROW TEST. 



As in other sections the rows in the " distance-between-row " test of 

 section D were planted on April 14. This section contained four 

 blocks, in which the rows were spaced to 3, 4, 5, and 6 feet apart, 

 respectively. The blocks contained 8, 6, 5, and 4 rows, respectively. 

 In all the blocks single-stalk rows alternated with wide-spaced rows. 

 The wide-spaced rows were chopped 25 days after planting and the 

 single-stalk rows 47 days after planting. This test was also limited, 

 and as the results are indicative rather than conclusive only a general 

 summary is given. 



The boll census showed that as the distance between the rows 

 increased, the percentage of 4-locked bolls decreased, this decrease 

 being offset by a corresponding increase in the percentage of 5-locked 

 bolls. The wide-spaced rows had a smaller percentage of 4-locked 

 bolls and a greater percentage of 5-locked bolls than the single-stalk 

 rows, regardless of the distance between the rows. Single-stalk rows 

 6 feet apart gave higher acre yields than wide-spaced rows either 3, 

 4, 5, or 6 feet apart. 



The results of this experiment suggest the desirability of further 

 testing the single-stalk system of culture in rows 5 or more feet apart 

 in dry regions. 



SUMMARY. 



Drought and boll-weevil ravages shorten the period during which 

 bolls are set in the region of San Antonio, and a cotton crop must be 

 set ordinarily in about one month. In 1914 the crop was set in about 

 25 days. Because of the very short season of setting the crop, the 

 single-stalk system of cotton culture promises to be especially useful. 



The single-stalk and wide-spaced systems of culture were com- 

 pared in alternate single rows and alternate 4-row blocks in rows 4 

 feet apart and again in alternating rows 3, 4, 5, and 6 feet apart. In 

 one instance plants were thinned early, late, and very late to 6, 9, 

 12, 18, and 24 inches apart. The stand was satisfactory in all cases. 



The spring of 1914 in the region of San Antonio was cooler than 

 usual, and more than twice the normal amount of rain fell during 



