130 



season). This habit of early fruiting is more characteristic of the 

 shorter-jointed sorts than of the longer-jointed varieties. 



These desirable qualities, viz, earl}^ fruiting, prolificac}^, good 

 staple, etc., may be perpetuated and improved b}^ seed selection, and 

 special attention should be given to this work. The importance of 

 the use of selected earl3^-fruiting varieties, as compared with native 

 "run-down" gin seed, has been illustrated man}^ times in the course 

 of these investigations. In 1903, on the plantation of Capt. B. D. 

 Wilson, at Hett}^ Tex., under conditions of severe boUworm injury, 

 earl3^-planted earl3^-fruiting cotton produced an average of 1,348 

 pounds of seed cotton per acre, as against 187 pounds of early-planted 

 but later-fruiting gin seed. 



The importance of planting as earl}^ in the spring as practicable has 

 been recognized by planters for many 3^ears, and this has been about the 

 only practice emplo3^ed looking to the avoidance of bollworm injur3^ 

 Best results from this work have often not been secured, however, 

 because of the use of gin seed of unknown parentage and variety. 

 No fixed dates may be given for the planting of cotton, but the effort 

 should be to plant as early as possible, even though danger from frosts 

 may not have entirel3^ passed. The advantage gained in earl3^ plant- 

 ing more than compensates for the injury by frost during occasional 

 years. 



Early and thorough cultivation is an important factor in the cultural 

 method of producing early cotton. Earh^ chopping out of the plants 

 will permit of free branching and consequent square production. The 

 fertility of the soil, either native or introduced in the way of ferti- 

 lizers, may be used by plants onl3^ in a liquid condition. Hence, for 

 the conservation of moisture and other reasons, timeh" and frequent 

 cultivation are of the utmost importance. 



The steps in the production of earh'' cotton,' outlined above, include 

 the principal recommendations for the growing of cotton in the pres- 

 ence of the boll weevil. It is therefore seen that injury from the 

 cotton bollworm and the cotton boll weevil ma3^ be best avoided b3^ 

 the adoption of one and the same* course of improved farm practice. 

 The spread of the latter species will render imperative the adoption- of 

 these methods in profitable cotton culture, and along with this change 

 the ravages of the bollworm during normal seasons should become less 

 and less. 



TRAP CROPS. 



The preference of the bollworm for corn, as compared with its other 

 food plants, permits of the use of this plant in a way to protect cotton 

 from injury. In general, protection will be needed only from the 

 August generation of larvae, and this may be secured b3^ planting corn 

 in belts through the cotton fields at a time that will result in its being in 



