Newspapers / The Franklin Times (Louisburg, … / April 10, 1936, edition 1 / Page 20
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For More Economical Production of Cotton <zA Summary of Rccent Research Studies By A STAFF WRITER IMPORTANT studies of cotton pro duction seeking more economical and more profitable practices are made yearly by the South Carolina Experiment Station. Valuable to practical farmers are some of these studies made at the Pee Dee branch at Florence in connec tion with time and methods of planting, varieties, fertilisation, and soil treat ment. From reports by K. E. Hall, su perintendent of the branch. Dr. H. P. Cooper, agronomist, and their co-vvort ers are summarized these results: Growing cotton profitably" depends largely upon the quality of seed ami va riety planted. Farmers have taken advan tage of the excellent work of plant breeders in developing varieties an I strains of cotton with superior qualities. The South Carolina Experiment Station conducts yearly variety tests, obtaining the yield of seed cotton, length of staple, per cent of lint, and sire of boll for each variety. 40 Varieties Tested Forty varieties and strains wore tested' ill 193s showing a difference in xield of 411 pounds of seed cotton between the highest and lowest yielding varieties. The four highest yielding varieties, follow: Humco Carolina Foster 1.019 pounds; W. W. Wannamaker Dixie Triumph, 1,912 pounds," Coler Farm Relief J3-ID, 1,910 pounds, and Colter Wilds St. 6, 1.906 pounds of seed cot ton per acre. Wood's Ingold h 70 was the lowest yielding, with 1.S08 pounds. Usually best yields are obtained front early plantings provided perfect stands are maintained. Too early planting often results in having to plant over. or. in broken stands, with lower yields result ing than from later plantings. From 1923 to 1934 plantings have b?en made at the station at 10-dav in tervals, beginning about March 1 s and ending May 10, to determine the best average plaining date for local condi tions, Four years during the 12-vear pe riod. March plantings made the highest yield, but in 1926- and 1928, March plantings were failures. Highest avertige yields were obtained from plantings made the first two weeks in April. Since 1923 tests have been made to compare results obtained with cotton seed delinted by machine, sulphuric acid treatment and seed in normal uudeliutrd condition. Acid-delinted seed hav e proven superior in obtaining stand and increas ing yields, as will he observed from yields over a period of 1 1 years, the aver age of yields from normal seed being 1.S96 pounds of seed cotton per acre; from machine-delinted seed, i,6ss pounds; from acid-delinted seed, 1,711 pounds. Since 1930, delinted and normal seed have been dusted with Ceresan, an or ganic mercury dust disinfectant, with beneficial results. When seed are treated with dust they do uot rot as quickly if weather conditions are not favorable for germination and improved stands have resulted. Plants from dusted seed have been freer from sore-shin disease, angular leaf spot, and anthracnose than plants from untreated seed. These benefits are reflected in increased yields. Results for the five-year period show that normal seed yielded 1.651.6 pounds of seed cot ton per acre; normal seed dusted with Ceresan. 1,792.6 pounds; acid-delinted seed, 1.821.2 pounds; acid-delinted dust ed with Ceresan. 1,848.4 pounds; 111a i-hine-delinted seed. 1,713.5 pounds; ma chine-dHinted sen) dusted with Ceresan. 1,765.1 pounds. x What Is Best Spacing? Results obtained in South Carolina cotton contests show that close spacing of cotton is most profitable. ^ To obtain maximum yields of cotton under boll weevil conditions it is neces sary to have as large a number ot plants per acre as possible without undue crowding. This can be accomplished b\ leaving plants closer in the drill or bv planting in narrow rbws. Cotton spaced one plant every right ii.ches in the drill will have approximately the following number of plants per acre for different width rows: 3 feet, 21.700; 3 1-2 feet, 18.600; 4 feet, 16.300. In a width of row test over six years the average yields were: three-foot rows. 1.884.8 pounds ot seed cotton per acre; 3 1-2 foot, i,tt<)6.6; four-foot. 1.807.3. Recent studies show that different methods of application of tertili/.er have a marked effect upon tile stand and yield of cotton. Dusting cotton with a tractor proved effective for this cotton grower in Georgia. ?/ - ? Poor stands, resulting in low yields, were obtained by placing the fertilizer Nn narrow bands at depths of one, two. three, and four inches beneath the seed. No injury to stand has occur red from placing the fertilizer two to three inches to the side and slightly below the level of the seed. Highest yields have been obtained from such placements. Nitrogen For Cotton Three brands of nitrate of soda ? Ar cadian, Chilean, and Champion? were used to determine any advantage ?t brands in cotton production. These were used along with a fertilizer mixture in which the ammuma was derived from one-third nitrate of soda, one-third cot tonseed meal, one-third sulfate of am monia. Fertilizer mixtures analyzing 2-10-5, with the ammonia, were applied at rate of 5(H) pounds per acre before planting. After the cotton was thinned it was side-dressed at a rate equivalent This wise farmer knows how to conserve moisture and keep down weeds ana grass. Just as the tiny cotton plants break through the crust, he begins to stir the soil in the crop's first cultivation. Information that sticks is presented in this field demonstraton in the use of a dusting machine for boll weevil control, Shelby, N. C. f ? -w ? - It's surprising what a short time it will be before cotton cultivating with two- horse outfits will be the order of things. This photo was made in Chester County, S. C. to 100 pounds of nitrate of soda per acre. Highest average yield was made from the fertilizer mixture in which the am monia was derived from three sources; lowest froiii sulfate of ammonia. Difter ent brands of nitrate of soda gave ap proximately the same average yield. Results of experiments show that it i*> profitable to side-dress cotton soon jitter it has been thinned to a stand with some form ot readily available nitrogen ous fertilizer. Fourteen materials were used in side-dressing experiments at a rate iquivalent to i so pounds of nitrate of soda per acre. No significant differ ences were shown in the five-year avei age yields with most of the 14 materials. Nitrate of Soda Side- Dressing Nitrate of soda as side-dressing has been applied at rates of 101 >, 150. 200. 250. and 300 pounds per acre to cotton over a period of years to determine the most profitable amount to use, Average results for a seven-year period show the 110-nitrate check plot yielded 1,537.1 pounds of seed cotton per acre; 100 pounds nitrate, 1,795.2 pounds cotton; 150 pounds nitrate, 1.856.4 pounds cot ton; 200 pounds nitrate, 1,886.5 pounds cotton: 2Si> pounds nitrate, 1,890.2 pouniN cotton ; 3<x> pounds nitrate, 1.920.4 pounds cotton. Side-dressing cotton with so, loo, and lyi pounds of muriatr of potash per acre, following a basic fertilizer appli cation of (h *> pounds of a 4-9-4 per acre before planting and 1011 pounds of ni trate of soda after thinning, has been under'- test since 1930. The average yield of cotton for the five-year period for the regular fertilizer was 1.HH7.4 pounds; 2,075 pounds when side-dressed with IOO pounds of nitrate of soda; 2,134 pounds when 50 pounds per acre of muriate of potash was ap plied. No further increase in average yield for the five-year period has oc curred from heavier applications of pot ash. To tost the value of legume rover crops on the yield of cotton following these legumes, the growing of crops of Austrian peas, hairy vetch, Monantha vetch, and Hungarian v etch preceding cotton has been continued six years. These crops arc seeded in the cotton mid dles ahout the first of ( )ctober' and are turned under about March i 5, prepara torx to planting cotton in early April. The basic fertilizer is yxi pounds of a 4-8-4' per acre, with half of each plot receiving in addition 2<>o pounds of sodium nitrate as side-dressing. Check areas of similar size are left without cover crops but otherwise receive the same treatment. At the beginning of the experiment, side-dressing increased yields of seed cot ton on all plots, hut after a few years the cumulative benefits from the cover crops became more pronounced, resulting in practically 110 gain from side-dressing un cover crop plots. For six years, side-dressing has given 1 20 pounds average vearlx gain of seed cotton 011 the check area as compared with a yearly average gain of 47 pounds un the hairy vetch plots, most of which occurred during the first two years. This shows the value of legumes in supplying most of the nitrogen needed to produce i cotton crop.
The Franklin Times (Louisburg, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
April 10, 1936, edition 1
20
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