Ce nee TT EEE ————— 
iSepr., 1902.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 205 
One important point in the selection of seed should not be overlooked—and 
that is the question of proportion of seed to lint after undergoing the ginning pro- 
cess. When the variety is characterised by large heavy seed and the lint adheres 
in unduly large quantity, it is wise to discard the same for a variety that does 
not carry these demerits. Cotton from which the lint can be cleanly removed, 
and of which the seed is small, will be the most profitable for farmer and 
merchant. A good variety of Upland, having the merit of small seed and easy 
and cleanly separation from the lint, will usually yield 300 lb. clean fibre to the 
1,000 lb. of unginned cotton. When the ratio of lint to seed goes below that 
stated, it is time for the planter to seek better varieties. Good varieties grown 
in West Moreton of the Upland sorts during the period of the cotton com- 
pany’s activity, and which can be recommended, were—Okra, Southern Hope, 
Jeff Welborn’s Pet, Peerless, Jones’ Improved, Elsworts, Truitt’s Improved, 
Champion Cluster, Hawkins’ Improved. 
Sowin@ THE SEED, 
Presuming the farmer has his soil in good tilth for his planting operations, 
his next duty is, in the absence of a properly constructed cotton drill and 
planter—an implement, unfortunately, as yet not obtainable in @ueensland—to 
sow theseed by hand. He will use a light plough to strike out his drills either 
by means of guiding poles or with the more expeditious land marker, and care 
must be taken to have the drills uniform in depth and width, as each operation 
materially facilitates the subsequent cultivation of the crop. The usual plan 
adopted is to draw drills about 4 feet apart, 3 inches deep, dropping the seed by 
hand at such distances as to finally leave a stand of plants 2 feet or 3 feet 
apart in the drills. When seed is plentiful, it is prudent to sow thickly, and 
later on thin out the plants to the spaces mentioned. In poor soils, the 
lesser distance may be settled on, and in richer soils the wider space may be 
adopted or exceeded as experience of the fertility of the soil may suggest. 
_ Frequently crickets and beetles make havoc among the young plants, 
destroying numbers while in the succulent tender stage of growth. It is, 
therefore, not prudent to finally thin out the plants to their standard distances 
until all danger from this quarter is past. 
The seed is sown sometimes after soaking in water for twenty-four hours 
or so, and this is one advantage when the seed is old or when planting is 
intended in the absence of sufficient soil moisture, as sometimes happens in 
planting large areas when the land is quickly drying up. Generally, the seed 
is sown in the dry state and covered in, awaiting the rainfall. This is, of 
course, attended with some risk, as in the event of a partial rainfall sufficient 
moisture may be unavailable to bring the plant above soil, and the germinating 
seed may perish. This is a contingency that must be faced in all cultural 
pursuits, and is not common alone to this crop It certainly is more trouble to 
sow in wet soil, but, on the other hand, when the areas are small and supply of 
seed a consideration, this system will probably be the safest. The seed can be 
covered in the drills either by harrowing or, preferably, by removing the front 
and hind tines of the scuffler, and working the soil into the drill by running this 
implement up the furrows. This gives good cover, and proves better tillage, and 
at the same time checks the germination of grass and weeds much better than 
the harrow does. It must not be forgotten that young cotton plants cannot 
stand the strugele for existence with weeds, and it is better to safeguard the 
plant in this way than have it succumb by reason of the struggle with pests 
and grasses. The number of plants per acre, calculating on distances of 4 feet: 
by 8 feet, is 3,630; on the basis of 4 feet by 2 feet 6 inches, the number is 4,356. 
Theoretically, 1 Ib. of seed should be about sufficient for 1 acre. About 
300 seeds weigh 1 oz. I merely wish to mention this fact in view of the 
scarcity of seed now available, and to indicate a method of sowing without 
waste. As in all probability the demand for seed this season will exceed the 
supply, intending planters are advised that by steeping the seed for twenty- 
four hours or so, and sowing by hand in wet soil, making allowance of about 
half for unfertile seed (if from the Ipswich stock, if from other sources this 
