204 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Sepr., 1902. 
The best that was done was to plough about 5 to 6 inches deep, harrow 
thoroughly and drill, sow the seed, keep the crop clean; and, under even this super- 
ficial system of cultivation, the crop throveand yielded well. Itisnot to beexpected 
that the intending planter can gain complete success by a system of indifferent 
tillage. So much depends on this feature with respect to yield, quality of fibre, 
condition of the lint as regards absence or presence of dirt in the form of weed 
seeds, vegetable matter, soil, &e., that the margin of profit is often materially 
affected thereby. Thorough tillage means financial advantage, and this must 
be borne in mind by the intending cotton-grower. 
The main essentials, then, in preparing the soil are moderately deep ploughing 
—cross ploughingalso, if necessary ; thorough harrowing, to have proper pulverisa- 
tion and a good seed bed free from lumps, so that.the young plant shall be 
in no danger of the harrow or scuffler rolling on its little crown a mass of soil 
to its detriment. 
These few hints are to the practical farmer scarcely necessary, but perhaps 
may be of some use as brief reminders to those who are new to the pursuit, - 
and who will need to give attention to them. 
SELECTION OF SEED. 
The question of selection of seed is, for the present, one that until oppor- 
tunities arise must to some extent remain in abeyance. Excepting a small 
supply, in the hands of the Acclimatisation Society, of the Upland, Sea Island, 
and Hgyptian varieties, true to name and all of the best sorts, there is no seed 
in the State available for distribution, save some Upland variety of mixed but 
good sorts at the Ipswich Cotton Factory, which has been kindly placed at the 
disposal of this Department for distribution. Some of this seed, I may say, I 
have grown this season, and, although it is now some five or six years old, about 
50 per cent. appears, by experiments carried on by myself and the Acclimatisa- 
tion Society, to be fertile seed. Thus, in order to supply the numerous demands 
made upon this Department, it is proposed in the absence of fresher seed to 
make distribution of what is available, notifying recipients of the need of 
allowing for about 50 per cent. of the seed as likely to be unfertile. This 
simply means sowing double the quantity than would otherwise be needed. Of 
course those fortunate enough to obtain seed from the Acclimatisation Society, 
who can only distribute in small quantities, will find that all their seed is fertile, 
and can sow sparingly. 
In general practice, selection of seed is the result of observing and marking 
off the most prolific and largest podding plants in the field. In selecting, 
attention should be given to length of staple, texture of lint, strength of fibre, 
habit of growth, and other features that commend themselves to the planter. 
Selection in this manner gives the planter good seed for the succeeding sowing, 
and tends to the evolution of a better cotton plant having the prime points of 
advantage I have mentioned. 
It is recognised that a difficulty often exists in tracing the origin of most 
of our varieties of cotton. The plant hybridises readily without human aid, 
and probably the interchange of seed from remote countries so varies the 
character of the shrub and its staple, causing the recognition of the original 
very hard to decipher. Most probably we are indebted to the good offices of 
our insect friends, by reason of their wonderful service as hybridisers in 
consonance with natural law, for the origin of many of our best varieties of 
cotton. The cotton-planter will do well to keep this point in view, and make 
selection of seed from such plants as appear to him to have had the benefit of 
cross-fertilisation and exhibit good qualities. 
The kinds of cotton introduced some years since by the State Department 
of Agriculture, and which in mixed varieties will be distributed this season, are 
all of them good species of Upland cotton. Our experience of these fibres in 
manufacture in the Ipswich mill, and our knowledge of their suitability for 
plantation purposes in South Queensland, is such that we can recommend them 
as being varieties worthy of cultivation. 
