ig8 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. XXV, No. 4 
rate, regardless of the variety, although they represent widely different 
types. 
While the Meade and Sea Island are distinctly different types of cotton 
and were grown under conditions where rainfall is frequent and a rela¬ 
tively high percentage of humidity obtains, the interval between the 
appearance of the square remains the same as with other varieties 
grown under irrigation in the Southwest. 
It will be noted that the mean number of days between the appearance 
of squares on fruiting branches of Lone Star grown at Sacaton, Ariz., 
is about one day more than for the same variety grown in Texas. The 
fact that appearance of squares was used at one place while date of 
flowering was used at the other could hardly explain this difference. 
It is possible that the short flowering period at Greenville, caused by 
drought, may have resulted in a lower mean interval than would have 
resulted from data obtained over a longer period. 
The records obtained at Greenville represent data from flowers on 
fruiting branches developing from the seventh to the thirteenth node 
of the main stalk. At Sacaton, however, the data on appearance of 
squares were obtained from branches developing from the twelfth to 
the twenty-first node. The difference in the interval between squares 
or blooms at the two places, if significant, should probably be attributed 
to the fact that data were obtained at different stages of plant develop¬ 
ment. 
RATE OF APPEARANCE OF SQUARES IN RELATION TO CLOSE 
SPACING OF PLANTS 
The fact that first squares on successive fruiting branches are pro¬ 
duced more rapidly than successive squares on the fruiting branches, 
is of practical significance in connection with the cultural advantages 
that have been obtained by the use of closer spacing of plants in the 
row. As the first squares on successive fruiting branches appear at 
about three-day intervals, while successive squares on the fruiting 
branches appear at about six-day intervals, a more rapid setting of 
fruit would be expected if the number of plants was increased. With 
a larger number of branches, resulting from more plants to the acre, 
better advantage is taken of the more rapid production of squares on 
the first node of successive fruiting branches. 
Table II. —The rate of appearance of successive squares on fruiting branches 
Variety. 
Locality. 
Year. 
Mean number of 
days between 
the appearance 
of successive 
squares on the 
fruiting branch. 
Lone Star . 
Sacaton, Ariz . 
IQ21 
6. 6o±o. 213 
Acala . . . . 
.do. 
7 
IQ2I 
6. io± . 160 
Durango . 
.... .do. 
IQ21 
6. 30± . 192 
Pimn-Pcrvntian . . 
.do . 
7 
1021 
6. 36 ± . 069 
Lone Star 1 . 
Greenville, Tex . 
7 
1022 
5. 65 ± . 068 
Meade . 
Charleston, S. C . 
7 
IQ22 
6. 0 ± . 064 
Sea Island . 
.do . 
7 
1922 
6. 1 ± . 113 
1 Figured from number of days between flowering dates. 
