COTTOX BEEEDISG 311 



Fig. 144. — Dligr.\.-\i showixg a Beeedixg-Plot of Twe.vtt Rows 

 OF Cotton. 



The best plants (x, x) are selected on the best rows {Xos. .5 and 16j for 

 planting the next year's breeding-plot of cotton. 



Each horizontal line represents a ro^ in the plant-to-row test 



each rear. An "x" represents a selected plant on one of the 



best rows. Each plant-to-row patch is planted ^-\\\ seed from 



these best individuals, the seed of each plant occupying a sepa- 



, rate row. 



The next diagram (Fig. 14.5 i shows the possibility of obtaining 

 in three or four years from a single original plant enough seed to 

 plant an entire farm. 



279. Plant-breeding a specialty. — !Most farmer.? can 

 practice the .simple method of selection first described, but 

 few will be able to give the time and pains to careful work 

 with the plant-to-row method. Yet so much superior 

 to average seed of even the purest varieties are seed pro- 

 duced by the plant -to-row method that farmers can better 

 afford to pay a fancy price for small amounts of seed thus 

 improved than to plant ordinary seed. Undoubtedly 

 in the future the tendency ^ill be for plant-breechng to 

 become a business or a profession requiring the entire 



