42 



FIELD CROPS FOR THE COTTON-BELT 



ing branches. The bolls are seldom large; the leaves 

 on the main-stem are very large while those on the 

 fruiting limbs are much reduced in size. The seeds are 

 small. 



The varieties of the cluster type are adapted to rich 

 bottom soils such as are found in the valleys of many 



streams in Georgia, 

 Alabama, and Mis- 

 sissippi. The possi- 

 bility that these va- 

 rieties will make a 

 too rank growth at 

 the expense of the 

 lint production is 

 very much less than 

 with most other 

 types. However, 

 the cluster cottons 

 have decreased in 

 popularity among 

 farmers in recent 

 years as a result of 

 (a) the small size of 

 the bolls, (b) the 

 readiness with which 

 the squares and young bolls, are shed during unfavorable 

 weather and (c) the difficulty of picking the cotton without 

 including considerable trash. 



49. Semi-cluster type (I'ig. 9) . — It is thought by many 



that varieties of this type form a hybrid group. The length 



of the fruiting hmbs is somewhat intermediate between 



' the cluster cottons and the more commonly grown types. 



While the bolls and leaves are not borne in clusters, they 



FiQ. 9. — Plant of the Hawkins variety of 

 cotton representing the Semi-cluster group. 



