Breeding Achievements and Program 
The work of Coker's Pedigreed Seed Company is 
the breeding and distribution of highly bred seed 
and the passing on of all sound agricultural know¬ 
ledge learned through experience and scientifically 
conducted experiments. Varieties are bred with 
definite aims in view, to fill specific needs and must 
produce, for the growers, more net dollars per acre. 
LONG STAPLE UPLANDS 
Our first efforts were devoted to the development 
of highly productive long staple upland cottons. The 
first work was started in 1901, when extra staple 
plant selections were made from the Jones’ Big Boll 
by Dr. W. C. Coker and Dr. D. N. Shoemaker. These 
were in plant-to-rows in 1902 and the work was then 
taken over by our Mr. D. R. Coker. From this 
material, the wonderful Hartsville Long Staple 
series was bred. 
Later, from a few seed of a striking selection of 
Columbia, came the Webber Long Staple. From the 
Webber was bred the early, thin foliaged Webber 49 
and the more vigorous, longer stapled Webber 82. 
From the Webber 82 was bred Deltatype Webber. 
From a cross of Lightning Express and Deltatype 
Webber made in 1919 was bred the Wilds long staple 
cotton. 
The last three strains of Wilds, namely: 8, 9 and 
10 (all from the same blood line) are far superior to 
any upland long staple cottons ever bred. These cot¬ 
tons set a crop more quickly than any variety. The 
bolls open wide, fluff and pick like short cotton. The 
staple length under ideal conditions is 1% to IV 2 
inches, and strong and silky. The lint percent aver¬ 
ages 33%% or better, under South Carolina condi¬ 
tions. We are continuing our Wilds breeding work 
only with this markedly superior blood line and 
have a new and even more promising strain in 
increase which will be ready for distribution in the 
fall of 1939. 
FULL LENGTH SHORT COTTON 
In 1918 a definite drive was started by Mr. Coker 
and his Plant Breeding organization to breed a 
group of U/fh" to lVs" cottons that would be as, or 
more productive than the best short cottons and 
have a premium staple. Thousands of staple selec¬ 
tions were made from our breeding plots and increase 
fields of Cleveland Big Boll, planted in plant-to-rows; 
the best plants were selected from these best rows 
and put back in plant-to-rows and this continued 
until uniform, productive, full-length cottons were 
found. 
From this work came Coker 1%" Cleveland, Coker 
V/w" Cleveland, Richland Cleveland, Extra Cleve¬ 
land and finally the Coker-Cleveland 5 and 884 series. 
In the meantime, hybridization had been resorted 
to and from a cross of Lightning Express and Cleve¬ 
land was bred Fann Relief, a cotton that combined 
the thin foliage and earliness of the Lightning 
Express with the high lint percent and boll size of 
the Cleveland and having a lint length between the 
two. Five strains of this valuable cotton have been 
bred and introduced. (See page 14 for description 
of Farm Relief Strain 5.) 
COKER 100 
Foreseeing the time when 1%2" to 1%2" cottons 
would be in great demand, our breeders concentrated 
every effort towards the breeding of such cottons. 
Many hybrids were made and extra-staple selections 
were made from many varieties. An answer to this 
demand is our Coker 100 cotton, the most productive 
and widely adapted cotton for non-wilt lands that 
we have ever offered. 
Intensive and extensive breeding experiments are 
being carried on with this prepotent and valuable 
plant family. That real progress is being made is 
shown by the higher records of the new Strains of 
Coker 100, two of which we are offering this year, 
namely, Coker 100 Strain 2 (see page 8) and Coker 
100 36-3 (see page 9). A newer strain that will be 
offered in the fall of 1939 led all varieties in yield, 
of seed cotton, lint and money value at Pee Dee 
Experiment Station in 1938. Behind these are still 
newer and more striking selections. 
WILT COTTON 
Since Fusarium Wilt first appeared in this section 
our breeders have been bending every effort towards 
the breeding of full length cottons that would pro¬ 
duce maximum yields on wilt soils. 
COKEJHOO 
WILT 
4*8 
COKER-10! 
WILT 
38-27 
This field of Coker’s 4 in 1 cotton made slightly 
more than 1000 lbs. lint per acre. 
Breeding Coker 100 for wilt resistance . . . note difference in 
resistance between rows 38-27 and 38-28. 
Page Six 
