ONE-VARIETY COTTON COMMUNITIES. 9 
the normal behavior of the variety on their farms. Such applicants 
were supplied with half bushels of pure seed, enough to plant an 
acre of the new variety and raise a bale of cotton if conditions were 
favorable. On this basis the chances of establishing; a stock of the 
new variety and of taking the precautions of separate ginning and 
isolating the fields were distinctly better than when a beginning 
had to be made with a peck of seed. Since that quantity was too 
small to grow a separate bale of cotton, many farmers did not use 
the seed, or they planted and picked it with other cotton, thus adding 
to the general mixture of sorts. 
Under the improved plan of distribution, information was sent 
out with the seed, explaining the need of isolation, separate ginning, 
and the "roffuing out" of abnormal variations, so that the stocks 
might be kept pure and new centers of seed supply established. Not 
only was waste of seed avoided by the new plan, but interest was 
stimulated by the prospect of securing a practical quantity of seed. 
Many cases have been reported where the precautions were observed 
and new centers of production of superior varieties established 
through the special distribution of the half -bushel lots of seed. In 
other cases the local interest in the new varieties resulted in the 
purchase of larger stocks of seed, enough to plant 5 acres or more, 
in order to save time or as a means of avoiding the contamination 
that already had taken place in the smaller stocks of seed. Thus, 
it appears that 5 bushels of seed, rather than a peck or a half bushel, 
should be considered as the practical minimum if there is a serious 
intention to adopt a new variety and maintain a pure stock. 
That so little good seed of really select, uniform stocks is to be 
had at any price is the most serious obstacle in extending the 
cultivation of a new variety. To secure the production of larger 
amounts of seed, so that it is possible for those who become inter- 
ested in a variety to purchase pure seed in practical quantities, is 
more important in establishing a variety than the general distribu- 
tion of small quantities of seed. Cooperation with communities 
rather than with individual farmers has accordingly been recog- 
nized as an essential feature in developing seed supplies, so that 
new varieties can be more widely utilized. 
Instead of dividing and distributing small stocks of pure seed, 
the first need is to centralize the production of a new variety in 
a few localities where it is possible to secure interest and unanimity 
of action among the farmers, to the end of increasing the seed stocks 
until centers of production are established and supplies are avail- 
able for other districts. Until this stage is reached it is a waste 
of good seed to distribute or sell it in small quantities to farmers- 
who will not grow it in isolated fields and provide separate ginning. 
2551°— 22 2 
