304 



SOUTHERN FIELD CROPS 



is the possil)ility of bringing the average much nearer to 



the standard of the best plants. 



It is highly desirable that any pure variety of cotton 



should possess 

 , the maximum de- 



^''' gree of uniform- 



;,;,. 4. ity among the in- 



dividual plants. 

 This uniformity 

 is much more 

 cjuickly and com- 

 pletelj' secured 

 by Ijeginning 

 ^^'itli a variety 

 alreadj' consid- 

 ererl as pure. 

 Hence any per- 

 son desiring to 

 impro^'e cotton 

 should first of all 

 become familiar 

 with the best 

 varieties, and 

 among these he 

 should choose 

 for improvement 

 that one which 

 ]50ssesscs the 

 greatest number 



of (lualities tlesired and on which the fewest new qualities 



need to be engrafted. 



Fig. 143. — .\n UNriioDucTivE Cotton Pl.a.nt. 



