20 
BULLETIN 526, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
cent. The greater yield of the old-method rows at the first picking 
is in itself an evidence of the fact that the thinning of the single-stalk 
rows was too late to give the best results, but, as not infrequently 
happens, the loss was more than made good by the increased yield of 
the single-stalk rows at the second picking. 
Table XIII. — Row yields obtained in a single-stalk culture experiment with cotton 
conducted in 1915 by W. K. Benson, Battleboro, N. C. 
Yield of seed cotton (pounds). 
Row. 
First picking. 
Second picking. 
Total. 
Single 
stalk. 
Old 
method. 
Single 
stalk. 
Old 
method. 
Single 
stalk. 
Old 
method. 
No.l 
51 
51 
58 
53 
53 
58 
64 
60 
59 
57 
49 
65 
62 
71 
63 
72 
80 
72 
78 
74 
35 
34 
38 
43 
40 
37 
35 
32 
32 
27 
24 
14 
9 
8 
11 
7 
5 
86 
85 
96 
96 
93 
95 
99 
92 
91 
73 
No. 2 
79 
No. 3 
71 
No. 4 
79 
No.5 
74 
No 6 
79 
No. 7 
85 
No.8 
72 
No. 9 
78 
No. 10 
84 74 
Total 
564 
686 
122 
22 
353 
275 
353 
78 
917 1 764 
Difference 
153 1 
20 - --- 
The DraugJion experiment. — Mr. L. L. Draughon, of Whitakers, used 
Cleveland Big Boll cotton in his experiment, there being 28 rows in 
all. The two systems of culture were compared in alternate rows. 
Thinning was completed in a fairly satisfactory manner, though a 
little later than was advisable for single-stalk culture. 
Mr. Draughon reports that it was impossible to get pickers in time 
for the first picking and consequently the cotton remained unpicked 
until late in November. Undoubtedly much cotton was lost mean- 
time, particularly from the single-stalk rows. Only total yields were 
reported, and these were 1,074 pounds for single-stalk culture and 
1,004 for the old method, a difference of 70 pounds, or 7 per cent, 
in favor of single-stalk culture. 
The Felton experiment. — Mr. W. R. Felton, of Conetoe, chopped the 
single-stalk rows of his experiment in such a manner as to leave the 
plants standing in bunches, which, however, probably suppressed the 
development of vegetative branches in much the same manner as 
single-stalk culture. He reported the yields which are given in Table 
XIV. Only one picking was made, on November 2, probably after 
some cotton had fallen from the bolls. 
Table XIV shows that in all but 4 of the 14 instances, single-stalk 
rows yielded more cotton than old-system rows, giving an 8 per cent 
increase for the new method. In reporting the above yields Mr. 
Felton stated: "I am satisfied that the thick rows would have made 
a better showing had they been properly thinned." 
