BULLETIN No. 83. JUNE, 1897.. ALABAMA Agjicultural Experiment Station OF THE AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL COLLEGE, AUBURN. HYBRIDS FROM AMERICAN AND FOREIGN COTTONS. P. IH. MILL. MONTGOMERY, ALA.: THE BROWN PRINTING COMPANY, PRINTERS 1897. COMMITTEE OF TRUSTEES ON EXPERIMENT STATION. I. F. CULVER ............................... Union Springs. J. G. GILCHRIST ............................ Hope Hull. H. CLAY ARMSTRONG.........................Auburn. Wm. LEROY BROUN..............................President. P. H. MELL...............................................Botanist. STATION COUNCIL B. B. Ross.....................................Chemist. C. A. CARY, D. V. M..........................V J. F. DUGGAR................................Agriculturist. F. S. EARLE ..... ...................... Biologist and Horticulturist. C. J . F. BAKER.......................................... ASSISTANTS. Entomologist. T. ANDERSON. .............. o...... ...... First Assistant Chemist. C. L. HARE........................... Second Assistant Chemist. R. G. WILLIAMS .......................... Third Assistant Chemist. T. U. CULVER ............................. Superintendent of Farm. W'The Bulletins of this Station will be sent free to any citizen of the State on application to the Agricultural Experiment Station, Auburn, Alabama. CONTENTS. PAGE. Introduction. . 384 A statement of the propositions to be considered......385 Effects produced on cotton plants by transferring them from one country to another where conditions in soils and climate may be materially changed...........386 :Steps required to secure perfect results in hybridization 387 List of parents .................................... Character of season...... ........................ Discussion of parent types ......................... 389 390 392 Botanical characteristics of American plants........... 394 Botanical characteristics of Foreign plants............ 397 Table of results of hybridization..................... 401 Botanical characteristics of hybrids............. .... Ten best hybrids................................... Conclusions....... .............................. 406 412 412 INTRODUCTION. The investigations, the results of which are contained in this bulletin, were suggested by the reports made several years since that Egypt and India were fast becoming rivals of the United States in the cultivation and importation of cotton; that the cottons coming to this country from Egypt were in many respects the superior of the native staple, and that there was an increasing demand for the long staple cottons from the country of the Nile. In the study of these foreign plants much time has been spent in the field watching carefully the growths of the forms during each season so that all of the peculiarities have been well noted and numerous records have been placed on file descriptive of the plants from the seed to the maturing of the boll. This preliminary work was deemed necessary before any crosses were made between them and the native American types. The same methods have been pursued with reference to the hybrids obtained from the blending of the species. The author is under special obligations to the United States Department of Agriculture for many of the foreign seeds used in the experiments described in this bulletin. Acknowledgements are also made to Professor T. H. Middleton, former Professor of Agriculture of Baroda College, India, but now of University College, Wales, for valuable donations of Indian seeds, and for interesting data concerning the habitat of the plants in their native surroundings. To Mr. E. Madero thanks are due for cotton seeds sent from Mexico, and to Mr. John Musson, C. E. of Sydney, Australia for cotton seeds from that country and for several valuable books and pamphlets on the subject of the Botany of that remarkable section of the world. 385 HYBRIDS FROM AMERICAN AND FOREIGN COTTONS. By reference to pages 299 and 300 of volume 4 (bulletin No. 71), it will be noticed that three steps were contemplated in the experiments on these foreign cottons, viz: 1st. To acclimate the plants; 2nd. To secure the best results possible in the health of the plants by careful selection of the seeds, and that the condition of soil and climate would permit; and 3rd. To so blend the best properties of the foreign cottons with those of superior grades of the American varieties as to produce, if possible, an exceptionably fine cotton plant. The contents of bulletin No. 71 are devoted to a consideration of the first two propositions, while this bulletin will discuss the results secured by the 3rd step. At the close of the season of 1895 several hundred hybrids were obtained by uniting the varieties of American cottons mentioned on page 21 of bulletin No. 56 with the foreign plants discussed in No. 71. These hybrids were planted last season (1896) and 47 forms, more or less successful in results, have been selected for consideration in this bulletin. The others did not present features of sufficient importance to warrant favorable conclusions for the present, at least. It is a fact well known to parties who have attempted experiments in crossing, that some species widely different in characteristics are difficult to blend, and, even where a hybrid is successfully secured, the resulting plant may not be as desirable as either one of the parents. In other words, the inferior properties of the stronger parent may be intensified in the offspring and the valuable features sought for may be greatly overshadowed by the objectionable characteristics. This work, therefore, requires the exercise of judgment supported by a large amount of experience and knowledge of the peculiarities of the plants to be blended. The experimenter who undertakes to make his hydrids from foreign plants which have not been carefully cultivated two or more seasons to acclimate the forms, and who does not 386 become familiar with the habits of the plants as they grow under thenew conditions of soil and environments, will meet with disappointments or at least, with unexpected and undesirable results. The failure to observe the rules largely explains the following undigested publication: "The hybrid difficulty obtained from Gossypiunm hirsutu and G. barbadense is worthless." This conclusion was drawn from experiments conducted for only one year. Professor Middleton makes the following pertinent comments in a valuable pamphlet on "Indian Cultivated Cottons," page 4, on the effects produced in cotton plants by transferring them from one country to another where the conditions in climate and soil may be materially changed. The experiments conducted at the Auburn Station so fully corroborate there conclusions of Professor Middleton they are copied into this bulletin: "Habit.-Soil affects the size and general appearance of the cotton plant to a very great extent. On sandy loams and well drained land most cottons are tall, lax in habit, with long, weak, spreading branches; on clay and badly drained soils they are small bushes with short branches. "Hairs.-These are not perceptibly affected in the first season by a change of soil and, climate. "Stems, Petioles and Peduncles are affected in size by a change in habit, but are not otherwise altered by a change of soil. "Leaves, Stipules and Branches are greatly affected in size, and the first and last to some extent in conformation, by change of climate.' These leafy organs are very different in a moist atmosphere from what they are in a dry, and herbarium specimens may be misleading if e. g., some are made in the monsoon and others in the dry season. The sinuate character of the leaf of the G. herbaceum series of cottons is only marked in the monsoon, and the extra lobe of the G. arboreum series is more common and more marked during this season than it is afterwards. The bracteoles of the annual and shallow rooted cottons diminish markedly in size as the hot season advances. 387 "Flowers.-These do not alter perceptibly in form or color by transference to a new district. If the plant is healthy the flowers will be normal; but like the bracteoles they diminish in size late in the season. "Bolls.-The bolls also become smaller, especially on light soils, as the hot season advances, but those that form early in the season should be true to kind whether grown on clay or sandy soil. "Seeds.--In those bolls which mature well, the size cr number of seeds is not affected during the first season by a change of soil and climate. "Lint.-The fibre, more than anything else, is injuriously affected by change." From the foregoing it will be readily understood, therefore, that no experiment in hydridization is satisfactory until the following steps have been taken: 1st. If foreign plants are blended with American species the foreign seeds must be first carefully planted in rich adaptable soil, cultivated by the most improved methods and the seeds selected from the most healthy plants and planted a second season at least, to adapt the plant to its new surroundings. Careful cultivation during three seasons would be better. 2nd. Frequent visits to the field should be made during all periods of the plant's growth, and all the stages of development thoroughly noted and studied. Full and detailed information of the plant's habits and peculiarities must be known, and this can only be secured by watching the growth throughout the entire season, from the germinating of the seeds to the opening of the bolls. 3rd. A judicious selection of the parents. Special attention being paid to the blending of forms which are prolific, hardy, early and healthy and which produce fibre of superior length, strength, maturity and fineness in texture. Of course it is useless to waste time in crossing inferior grades of cotton with those that already produce excellent fibre. The writer has, therefore, attempted to eliminate from his experiments all those foreign species which failed 388 to show decided superior properties after two years cultivation. 4th. After the hybrids have been obtained the greatest care must be taken in the after cultivation and fertilization, to hold the blended properties together until permanency has been established. The inferior tendencies in the new plants must be watched and every effort available, in changing the character and condition of the soil, in the kind and the amount of fertilizers used and in the selection of the seeds, must be put forth to eradicate from the plant its infirmities. This requires the care, solicitous attention and tender nursing of the successful and faithful physician. A few intelligent farmers here and there over the South have greatly improved the condition of the upland varieties of cotton within the past thirty years by judicious selection of the seeds from year to year, and as a result many socalled varieties are advertised for sale at fancy prices. As far as the writer has been informed, however, little if any effort has been put forth to unite into one or more healthy varieties the best properties of the American and foreign cottons by crossing experiments. This work is rendered all the more important now that the long staple cottons of Egypt are finding a ready market in our own ports. In 1896 nearly one million bales were exported from the Nile country, and of this amount 50,000 bales were sold in the United States, and buyers were ready and eager to secure this cotton even at eleven cents per pound. This price yielded the shippers fine profits since the fellah labor is so cheap. The Sea Island fibre sells for twelve cents per pound, but the demand is greater than the supply. Some of the cotton experts in New York predict that at the close of the season of 1897 the buyers in the United States will consume at least one hundred thousand bales of the Egyptian cotton. This, if true, is an alarming tendency, and the Southern planter must begin at once to checkmate this incroachment of the foreign staple. There is no reason, as far as the writer knows, why the South should not produce throughout 389 the cotton belt the best grades of both short and long staple cotton. LIST OF PARENTS. The following American varieties improved under the methods discussed in bulletin 56 were selected for hybridizing with the foreign plants. (See page 21, bulletin 56). No. 14. Cherry's cluster X W. A. Cook. " 2. Allen's long staple X Peerless. " 79. Wonderful X Peerless. " 58. Rust proof X Peerless. " 55. Petit Gulf X W. A. Cook. " 56. Petit Gulf X Peerless. " 71. Truitt X W. A. Cook. " 11. Barnett X W. A. Cook. " 70. Truitt X Peerless. " 43. King X W. A. Cook. Sea Island. The foreign cottons used in the experiments were as follows. Bajwara (Northwest Provinces of India). Bamieh (Egyptian cotton). Broach (Broach district of India). Deshi (also a Broach cotton). Goghari (Jambusar district of India). Herbucco. Indrepur. Jakko (Egyptian cotton). Mannoah (Egyptian cotton). Mirzapore (Indian cotton). Mit Afifi (Egyptian cotton). Narma (Indian cotton). Nadam (Madras cotton). Nimari (Central Provinces of India cotton). Surat kapas (Indian cotton). For a detailed description of these foreign cottons the reader is referred to bulletin 71. S90 CHARACTER OF THE SEASON. The season of 1896 was very unfavorable for the best growth of cotton, and the evil effects produced on the hybrids were manifest through most of the spring and summer. To bring out this fact the following climatic data are given. Dr. . T. Anderson, of the Chemical Department, has kindly furnished the, author with the readings of maximum and minimum thermometers and rain gauge recorded by him during the past season, from which the averages given in this connection were obtained. Months. Mean Mean Mean Rainfall. Days of rain. temp. max. April .......... 68.0 min. 58.9 65.5 68.3 1.74 May.........75.7 June..........77.2 July (13 days). .82.4 August ........ 81.2 78.9 86.0 85.9 9 ,.9 90.2 85.9 2.55 1.77 9.29 (31 clays) 79.5 72.5 66.5 54.8 50.0 September...76.0 October......63.4 November...57.6 2.26 5.78 1.54 12 4 3 6 8 72.0 65.2 7.37 As an item of comparison the following table of normals has been taken from the work: "Climatology of the Cotton Plant," written by the author and issued in 1893 by the United States Weather Bureau : Months. Mean Mean temp. max. Mean min. 54.0 61.9 68.8 71.2 69.4 65.4 53.4 43.7 Rainfall. Days of rain. 3 82 April.....63.4 May........71.4 June........76.7 July.........78.0 72.7 80.9 84.8 84.8 86.8 4.48 5.28 4.37 4.20 3.29 2.48 4.49 9 10 10 12 7.5 August.......78.1 September..... 74.0 October. ..... 64.0 November. 53.8 82.7 74.7 63.8 47.4 30.716.7 85.5 57.8 27.7 71.4 50.421 .0 69 044 3 4 7 73.55 3520.0 .47.8 27.3 20.5 Rust proof x .29.718.3 114 Sea Island.............10.0 7.2 2.8 71 Truitt x Cook.........60.7 40 7 20.0 17.9 31 4 16 5 70 1Truitt x Peerless. .... 79 Wonderful-x Peerless .. 62 0 41.1 .0.9 2 11 14 43 55 56 58 x Peerless ........ Barnett x Cook......... Cherry x Cook ........ King x Cook........... Petit Gulf x Cook ... Allen 6 4Peerless.. ..... 12464.835.2..:.. 159 69.5 30 5 .... 13070.6 29.4.... 11264.036 0 .. 10172.8 27.2.... 11357.142.9 .. 47 61.7 38 3 .... 54 72.028.0 .. 113 67.1 32.9 .. 13565 634.4 ... 125 66.333.7... 6075.3 24.7 32 0.020 0 020. 0.020 0.018 0.016 0.018 0.020.0 0 014 0.021 104 Bajwara.............. 17.0 11.8 4 2 1.91 Bamieh.......... 12.4 7.0 5.4 112 56.5 43.5 42 187 Broach.............7.6 5 4 2.2 39 71.0 29 0 30 196 Deshii...... ................. .......... 29 175 Gogliara...............13.3 9.2 4.1 44 69.2 30 8 30 184 Flerbucco .............. .Indrep 9.0 6.2 2.8 5368.931.1 0 017 .0.032 0.024 .I24 ,0.040 0.028 0 032 0.024 0.024 0 016 0.024 12.25 11.01 14.20 14 47 15.30 13.71 13.10 11.86 12.35 15 38 11-34 10.46 22 73 15.60 15.35 15.02 8.86 11.77 12.01 very good. good. good. excel. excel. good. 8.85 12.31 10 81 925 9.93 13.26 12.64 12.28 good. very good. good. good. 11.75 12.10 8.23 9 68 5.14 12.73 1260 9 30 11 02 14.09 10 56 good. verygood. average, excel. good. very good. average. excel 12.79 9 78 excel. very good. very good very good. 716 18.72 9.41 10.53 11.74 8 61 fair. excel. fa;r. good. excel. poor. good. medium. excel. fair. irregular. excel. fair. 16.70 5.81 7 48 10.07 8.27 32 180 186 193 182 ....... 8.1 5.6 2.5' 59 69 130.9 32 4.5 3.2 1.3 56 71.0 29.0 47 Jakko..... ...... ...... Mlannoah ..... ........ ... ........... 32 0 Mlirzapore ....... ...... 5.3 4. 1.3 58 75Y 524 5 32 ...... .. 23.513.6 9.9 105 57.8 422 38 9.4 192 .Mit Afifi ...... 109 Narma................. 6-3 3.1 60 173 Nadam.... ...... ...... 13.5 9.1 4.4 5.5 4.0 1.5 102 Nimari......... ........ 190 Surat Kapas............ 2.8 2.3 0.5 0.032 96 67.4 32.6 33 0.048 50 72.7 27.3 25 0.016 55 82.018.0_____________ 67.033 0.016 0 024 0 016 0.032 0.016 0 032 0.048 0 032 11.88 15 84 18.75 7.79 12.61 19.52 8.10 8.25 10.20 6.91 10.34 8.10 10 54 12 06 13 93 7.35 11.47 13.09 irreg. good. poor. excel. excel. good. irregular. good. fair. excel. excel. 0 28 0.016 9 78 9.64 7.12 8.87 8.45 9.25 good. poor. fair. fair. 392 By a comparison of these tables it will be noted that there was a deficiency of rain during the spring and growing season (May-June) of 5.44 inches. During the summer period (July-August-Sept.), while the plant should be making bolls and developing fibre, and when an excess of rain was injurious, there were 5.47 inches of precipitation above the normal. In the matter of temperature there was not much to complain about, the nights were not cold and the frosts in the early spring were not heavy enough to do material damage. The comparison made with the normals show that in the case of the mean temperature for the growing period (April 1st to June 30th) the season of 1896 was 3-.5 warmer, and the mean minimum temperature was 2'.6 higher than the normals. It is evident from the knowledge we have of the cotton plant that if the precipitation had retained the same relative ratio to the normals as is exhibited in the case of the temperature the results given in this bulletin would be materially changed for the better. DISCUSSION OF THE PARENT TYPES. In order that the reader may fully understand the relationship existing between the parents and the hybrids the following table has been condensed from bulletins numbers 56 and 71. It is clearly shown in this table which parent furnishes the strongest qualities, and by comparing with these results those given in the table of hybrids we will note how far these good properties have held sway in the development of the new form. t F a V kg1 , r it V Vs PLATE 1. 394 BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF AMERICAN PLANTS. Allen's long staple crossed on Peerless produces a boll of medium size gradually tapering to the end, and also one rather blunt pointed and cylindrical. (See plate I.) The involucre covers about one-half of the boll and is cut into lobes extending I the depth of the involucre; the surface is covered with fine hairs; the bases are slightly united. The flower is pale yellow-white; the petiole is short and hairy. The plant grows to the height of 5 to 6 feet with long branches. Prolific. Leaves large and 3-lobed; covered with hairs. Seeds large, furry and light brown. Barnett crossed on Cook produces a plant 4 to 5 feet high with branches of medium length and numerous, 5 to 8 bolls to each branch. Leaves 3-lobed and covered with hairs. Flowers light yellow with petiole about length of boll. (See plate I.) Boll nearly cylindrical and large with involucre length of boll and deeply lobed. Seeds furry, light brown and medium sized. Cherry's cluster crossed on Cook.-Plant 6 to 7 feet high and prolific. Branches of average length and numerous, with 5 to 9 bolls to each. Leaves 3-lobed, covered with hairs. Flower pale yellow with petiole length of flower. Boll large and ends with an erupt point; involucre length of boll with deep lobes, and free at base. (See plate I.) King crossed on Cook.-Plant 3 feet high and prolific. Branches long and few. Leaves 3-5 lobed and hairy. Boll large, oblong-pointed with involucre nearly length of boll and deeply incised. (See plate I.) Petiole length of boll. Seeds large, furry and brown. The other American types mentioned on page 8 are in most respects like the varieties already described, and therefore it is deemed unnecessary to give detailed descriptions of them in this bulletin. The Sea Island species belongs to Gossypium maritimum, which is fully identified as follows: G. maritimum.-Glabrous, stem erect, branched, tall; branches graceful, spreading, subpyramidal ascending, and later recurving; leaves rotundate-ovate, subcordate, 3-5 lobed, sometimes intermingled with other entire leaves, lobes ovate, ovate-lanceolate, or 395 lanceolate-oblong, depressions between lobes subrotundate; single peduncle above the axis of leaf and stem, an inch long during flowering period, but afterwards elongating; bracts broadly ovate, cordate adhering at middle of base with calyx, but not coalescing among themselves, deeply cut into lobes, lobes near base slightly broader, lanceolate, terminating with an elongated point; corolla longer than bracts, petals yellow, or pale sulphur color, not entrely expanded during the flowering period; lower part of style free from stamens and equal in length to another bearing column; style somewhat three parted; boll ovate conical, acute, three to four celled, 6-9 seeded ; seeds beaked at hilum, black, smooth and covered with long silky fibre. . R a FIG. I.t BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTIOS OF FOREIGN PLANTS. Since writing the bulletin on Foreign cottons (No. 71) Professor T. H. Middleton's pamphlet on Indiau cottons has been issued from the press, in which the common and scientific names are given; and, in as much as the seeds delivered at Auburn were so badly mixed, rendering it impossible to determine which plant represented the vernacular name, the classification given in bulletin 71 is repeated here with the correct common name indicated. 7. V :4 I ~4. VI PLATE 11. 397 Gossypium herbaceumn, Tod. Stem erect, covered with long soft hair; branches spreading, slightly pyramidal; leaves 3-5 lobed, rarely 7 lobed, lobes rotundate obtuse, apex minutely mucronate; stipules linear lanceolate, acuminate very short; peduncle erect and nearly equal to half of peteole; bracts ovate cordate, with sharp cut teeth' general outline of bract leaf rotundate, bases united; coralla longer than the bracts, obovate, unequally wedge shaped, yellow, marked at base with purple spots, after flowering the outside surface turns reddish; bolls small ovate, hardly subrotundate, apex deeply hollowed out, 4-5 celled, cells 6-7 seeded; seeds ovate, short mucronate at hilum, covered with thick closely adhering fibre, in some cases white ash-gray, short, in other cases rather long and white. (See plate II.) Broach, Goghari and Deshi are varieties of this species. Professor Middleton seems to think that Goghari is a cross between Wagria and Broach Deshi, and he states that a good crop of this cotton in India will produce from 400 to 500 lbs. of seed cotton per acre. It is considered to be a high grade staple in its native country. Gossypium hirsutum.-Tod. Stem erect, branches spreading, slightly ascending, pyramidal, hairy; leaves ovate rotundate cordate, 3-5 lobed, those found at end of branches are at times acute and entire, lobes truncate-semiovate, :subtriangular, acute or acuminate, the middle lobes larger and longer, at fold acute plicate; stipules ovate lanceolate (unequalateral, sharp rigid pointed, the other portion lanceolate), acuminate; bracts large ovate, acuminate, in the upper portion deeply cut into many narrow lobes, in the lower part simply dentate, the clefts are elongate linear produced at the apex into an attenuated point; corolla large, longer than bracts, during flowering period considerably expanded, petals pale sulphur color, afterwards rolling up and turning red; style long, exserted; boll large, walnut shaped, generally four celled, apex rotundate terminating abruptly into a sharp point; seeds ovate covered with short white fibre firmly adherent. (See Plate II.) Bajwara, Herbucco, Indrepur, Mirzapore and Surat kapas are evidently varieties of this species. They resemble very closely Todaro's G. hirsutum var. album, the Indrepur, however, has a large boll rapidly tapering to a point, while the Mirzapore contains one more nearly the shape of a walnut and generally four celled. The shape of boll on the Indrepur type would indicate features of G. glabratum, Tod. The three forms known by the vernacular names of "Jakko," "Mannoah," and "Mit Afifi," are varieties of G. mari2 398 P /.AAKcl .bCI FIG. 3. timum, Tod., the same species to which the sea island cotton is referred (see page 395). These cottons are grown in different parts of Egypt and produce very superior grades of fibre. The yield is large also, averaging in its native country 350 pounds of lint per acre. An illustration of the leaves of this species of cotton is given in figure 3. Gosypiumn maritimum var polycarpumn, Tod. Stem erect, 1-3 peduncles in the axis of each few if any branches. leaf; simple; The plant grows to the height of 7-8 feetand is glabrous throughout. The few branches, if present at all, spring from near the roots. Generally branches are wanting. The leaves are large, deep green and free from. hairs. The surfaces are dotted withdarker green spots. The boils grow in clusters from the axil of the leaf and main stem. The petals of the large conspicuous are bright yellow with a deep or purple spot at the base on the inside. The involucre is nearly the size of the petal, bright green and smooth. flowers Figure 4 is a good representation of the leaf, petal involucrue and pistil of this plant. 399 FIG. 4-Bamieh. SNarma is probably a hybrid produced by blending the species g. arborcum Linn. and g. Indicum, Lam. The leaves are covered with short, soft hairs as well as all other Surfaces. Stem is somewhat shrubby and dotted with red spots; cordate leaves are 5-lobed, lobes broadly lanceolate and terminated with a bristle, sometimes a small rounded lobe is found between the other lobes; petiole dotted with red; petals bright yellow with red extending over fully one-third of the outside surface; a red spot is found also at the base of the petal inside, inner surface covered with minute hairs; bracts are small, very nearly entire, or at least apex slightly indented, hairy outside and adhering at base; peduncles are short and hairy; calyx entire and spotted green; stamens extend as far as the stigma; boll small ovate acuminate 3-4 carpels; seeds small, 8 in each cell; fibre short and brown. 400 Gossypium Wightianum Tod. Stem erect and covered with soft hairs; branches spreading, slightly ascending, leaves rather rotundate, obscurely obcordate, 3-5 lobed, lobes ovate, obtuse with bases drawn together or wrinkled, the depressions between the two lobes obtuse with small dentiformed lobes now and then interjected, stipules semiovate, somewhat sickle shaped, otherwise linear lanceolate, all acuminate; peduncles erect during the blooming period but recurved during fruiting; bracts ovate, very small, base united, cordate, acute, small serrated; corolla longer than bracts, obovate, unequally shaped, yellow, base spotted dark purple but after flower opens, petals turn red; bolls very small, ovate, 8-seeded; seeds small ovate-subrotundate, densely covered with fibre; fibre short and closely adhering and white. Nadam. Nimari. Professor Middleton classifies Nimari as a hybrid from g, roseum Tod. and g. neglectum, Tod. The plant cultivated at the Auburn Station, however, produced a yellow flower with a red spot at the base of the petal, while the plant described by Professor Middleton yields a white flower and resembles Todaro's g. roseum var albiflorum. Nadam cotton may be a variety of g. Wightianum Tod. with a strain of g. indicum. Lamk. Todaro's Wightianum closely resembles Linneus' g. herbaceum and there seems to be no good reason for introducing a new species with so little, if any difference from the the older form. TABLE OF RESULTS OF HYBRIDIZATION. The following table exhibits in a striking manner the results of hybridizing the foreign with the American cottons. The vernacular forms: Bajwara, Goghari, Surat kapas Nadam, Indrepur and Narma did not satisfactorily blend with the American varieties, or at least the issue from the experiments was not of such a decided nature as to warrant conclusions for the present. These varieties have, therefore, been excluded from the table in this bulletin, but further experiments with them will be continued the coming season to fully determine the fact whether or no they will blend with the American cottons so as to produce valuable hybrids. It may be of interest to state, however, that the indications seem to point to a refusal of Bajwara, Nadam and Narma to unite with the gossypium hirsutumn, Miller. In regard to the other foreign cottons the table speaks in an intelligent manner and with satisfactory emphasis. It is gratifying to note the readiness with which the Egyptian forms Mit. Afifi and Bamrnieh, combine with the American types because of the marked superiority of these two cottons.° a c0 O +S~ O 0 -CC Names of plants crossed. 0 0 3.93 r28 43 r.r 800 0 4 122 Sea Island X Afifi................... 142 Afifi X Petit Gulf X Peerless......... 152 Cherry's Cluster X Cook X Afifi. 157 171 130 162 Rust pro)of X Peerless XAfifi ......... Afifi X Cherry's Cluster X Cook. Wonderful X Peerless X Afifi....... Afifi X Allen's Staple NIPeerless. 149 Truitt XI Cook N Afifi............... 119 Allen's long Staple X Peerles X Afifi 148 Afifi X Rust proof X Peerless........ 163 Truitt X Peerless X Afifi.......... 192 129 \flfi.............................. Allen's Staple X Peerless NI Broach... 12.7 18.5 8.812.9 41.2 10.4 12.0 13.0 12.2 10.5 5.7 20.5 7.5 12.9 7.2 7.6 14.2 4.5 17.2 29.2 8.3 8.8 9.3 8.6 7 5 40 15 4 5.4 8.8 49 5.4 10.0 3.2 11.9 7.9 6.2 12.0 5.6 12.0 3.1 3,2 3.7 36 3.0 1.7 10 69.2 69.7 70.8 72. 1 73.4 72 0 70.5 71.4 70.2 30.8 30.3 29.2 42 43 36 38 48 38 44 44 40 33 32 38 25 30 38 47 36 25 33 32 29 31 0 020 0.016 0.016 0.020 0.016 0.008 0.016 0.016 13.51 9.83 13. l15 10 90 13.68 20.71 13.50 9.83 6.12 6.76 6 26 12.96 9.11 9.48 15.65 11.16 12.13 8.04 9.08 7.72 13.10 10.16 11.58 190O1 12.33 20 29 4.11 11.47 12 56 9.41 8.28 12.06 10.10 7.12 8.61 11.12 r 43 53 43 56 5.1 10 75.0 2.1 251 72.0 4.1 2.3 2.2 42 1.3 5.3 4.1 2.8 399 67.4 4 68.0 15 71.0 70.4 5 71.0 539 69.2 65.8 63.9 27.9 26.6 28.0 29.5 28.6 20 8 25.0 28.0 32.6 32.0 29.0 29.6 29.0 30.8 34.2 31.1 32.0 0.2 9g .3 .0.028 0.2 0.024 (0.032 0.016 0.024 0.016 21.40 19.17 4 35 3.55 12.61 12.70 15.60 8 86 15.84 11.45 9.57 8.86 white. 12.44 10.34 12.42 5.81 7.69 8.25 8.05 3.97 8.27 Yel. 9.80 X0.048- 187 Broach ........... ................... 168 .[akko X Cherry's Cluster X Cook.. 186 Jakko...... ...... .................. 165 Barnett NI Cook NXHerbocco........ 137 Elerbucco X Allen's Staple X Peerless. . 12.0 184 Herbucco ........................... 155 Petit Gulf NI Peerless X Bamiehi.. 9.0 17.7 0.016 0.016 5.7 IIu u u I 64 68.0 . .... ,,.oo..... N , " ~Names of plant rse Character of Character of foreign seed. American seed. Character of hybrid seed. IYII IIII~C L~U I r~ 122 Sea Island X Afifi.................. 142 Afifi X Petit Gulf X Peerless......... 152 Cherry's Cluster X Cook X Afifi. 157 171 130 162 149 119 Afifi....... Rust proof X Peerless Afifi X. Cherry's Cluster X Cook. X Peerless X Afifi....... Afifi X Allen's Staple X Peerless Truitt X Cook X Afifi.............. Allen's Long Staple X Peerless X Afifi.. X irreg irreg irreg.. excel good good excel good.. excel poor . Cireg rg irreg. black.. Smooth black Smooth and green. Smooth black.. Dark brown... . Green furry. Smooth black.. Light brown.... Green furry. Smooth Wonderful irreg. Smooth black. Dark brown.... excel Smooth black.. Light brown.. . good.. Smooth black.. Light brown... good. Smooth black Light brown... excel Smooth black. Brown... fair ... Smooth black. Light brown fair ... Smooth and green. Smooth and green. Smooth, brown & green. Brown furry. Smooth and furry. Browni furry. 148 Afifi X Rust proof X Peerless........ 163 Truitt X Peerless XAfifi............ ................. 192 Afifi............ 129 Allen's Staple X Peerless X Broach.. 187 Broach. ............................ 168 Jakko X Cherry's Cluster X Cook.. 186 Jakko .. ........................... 165 Barnett X Cook X Herbucco .......... 137 poor Smooth black Dark brown .... Green furry. Smooth black.. Brown .... .... Smooth and green. Smooth black.. excel. . excel good... good .. Yellow brown.. Light brown...(Brown furry. fair .. . fair . irreg fair ... fair. aver irreg . Yellow Smooth black. . Smooth black. . brown.. Light brown... Smooth and furry. ... ... fair.... Light furry.... Light brown irreg.. Light Light brown. Brown furry. Herbucco X Allen's Staple X Peerless.. irreg furry.. Light brown 184 H erbucco........................... poor. . fair.... Light furry.... 155 I Petit Gulf X Peerless X Bamieh ... IU% dtrtr fair .... fair.... Inu~ol Inv~nl Smooth black. . Dark brown.... Brown and green. P .. - - Names of plants crossed. og Q 0 CI) O~ ~ .O~ 2 0 Z ~ ~ ~ 4-S, 0 4 -4 U rz a) Q bO cGC 0) . .c d . -44 ~r 1 *c c12 a .. 4 d )C ti i PI2 3 a H 153 121 154 160 Petit Gulf X Cook X Bamiehi......... Cherry's Cluster X Cook X Bamieh .... Barnett X Cook X Bamieh........... Bamieh X Cherry Cluster X Cook. 12.3 22.0 11.2 21.3 16.5 16.2 10.6 11.9 10.6 25.0 9.0 5.5 7.2 4.0 7.7 7.3 5.3 8.8 15 6 8.0 14.8 11.6 11.6 8.2 7.9 7.2 17.6 6.4 4.0 5.1 3.0 5.6 5.1 4.0 3.5 49 6.4 93 50 3.2 6.5 120 49 4.6 2.4 5.4 3.4 74 2.6 1.5 2.1 1.0 2.1 2.2 1.3 90 58 54 112 42 105 42 59 68 42 38 64 58 71.6 70 9 714 69.5 70.3 71.6 77.4 66.2 69.0 70.4 71.1 72 7 70.8 75.0 72.7 69.9 75.5 71.7 I 72.8 28.4 29.1 28.6 30.5 29.7 28.4 22.6 33.8 31.0 29.6 28.9 27.3 29.2 25.0 27.3 30.1 24.5 28.3 27.2 8.38 38 41 32 44 33 38 170 Bamieh X Rust proof X Peerless. 133 Wonderful X Peerless X Bamieh. 134 Allen's'Staple X Peerless XBaieh.... 191 Bamieh............................ 141 iMannoah X Petit Gulf X Peerless. 118 Cherry's Cluster X Cook X Mannoah... 147 146 159 169 193 Mannoah X Sea Island............ .. . Vlannoah X Rust proof X Peerless... Petit Gulf X Cook X Mannoah........ 42 42 40 36 42 34 32 31 32 33 34 32 25 25 King X Cook X .Vl annoah ......... Man uoah .. ........................ .. . 0.016 0.012 0.024 0.008 0.016 0.032 0.016 0.024 0.024 0.040 0.008 0.016 0.016 0.016 0.020 0.020 0.016 0.024 0.032 0.016 0.016 S0.016 0.024 0.016 13.63 13.01 11.51 13.68 12.75 4.58 12.24 22.73 13.89 8.20 11.57 9.31 9.48 8.01 3.53 10.64 16.70 10.07 10.88 12.29 10.32 11.58 9.93 4.05 11.44 18.72 11.98 10.01 9.42 15.09 10.30 9.73 Yel. White 11.96 7.01 15.74 14.44 6.96 10.22 9.25 8.70 18.75 10.20 8.56 18.11 7.79 8.77 Iv1 v I r 8.84 7.98 13.93 7.91 7.62 7.35 8.16 9.25 . 131 Petit Gulf X Cook X Mirzapur ...... 117 Cherry's Cluster X Cook X Mirzapur.. . . 182 Mirzapur : ......................... 132 Allen's Staple X Peerless X Nimari ..... .... ..... 102 INimari .............. .... 4.63 4.86 6.91 7.55 8.87 4.3 27 6.0 1.7 . 1~\~1~ I 4.0 I 1.5 I 50 I~~ IIIUILILIVWLI ~5.5 I ~9.64 °' oar r ago " Names of plants crossed. P, Character of foreign seed Character of American seed. Character of hybrid seed. _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Q_ __ .go...Sot . _ _ _ _ _ _ Bamih X Custe X Cok~ herr's od 153 Petit Gulf X Cook X Bamieh.......... excel 121 Cherry's Cluster X Cook X Bamiehb...excel 154 Barnett X Cook X Bamieh............ ok...god..od. aver.. 160 133 Wonderful X . . . excel.. jSmooth Dark Green furry. excel .. ISmooth Light brown.. . Green furry. Brown furry. aver.Sotblc.Lihbrw.BmeXCerysluerX .. Smooth Light black.. lc..Lgtbon black. . black.. brown.... brown. Smooth, brown & green. Smooth and green. Smooth, brown & green. Smooth and brown. 170 Bamnieh X Rust proof X Peerless....good .. , fair .. 134 Allen's Staple X Peerless X Bamieh. 191 Bamieh .......... .... ............ Peerless .X Bamieh......poor ... .. excel excel.. ... poor. excel excel. . Smooth black.. Dark brown Smooth black.. Light brown. Smooth black.. Eight Smooth black.. brown. 141 Miannoah X Petit Gulf Peerless. 118 Cherry's Cluster X Cook X Mannoak 147 Mannoab X Sea Island ............... 146 Mannoah X Rust proof X Peerless. 159 Petit Gulf X Cook X Mannoah......... King X (Cook NXlMannoah ....... 193 Mannoab ............................ X good. .. good.. fair .fair .. fair ... Smooth black.. Dark brown.... Green furry. Smooth black.. Light brown. Green furry. . excel excel fair.. .. .. fair ... Smooth black.. Smooth excel.. . Smooth black.. Dark excel Smooth black.. Dark aver Smooth black.. brown.... brown.... black.. Brown........ Smooth black. Green furry. Smooth and green. Smooth and green. good. .good.. Smooth black................ irreg.. irreg .. Light furry.... Dark brown.... Light green. 131 Petit Gulf X Cook X Mirzapur........ 117 Cherry's Cluster X Cook X Mirzapur.... irreg.. irreg... Light furry ... . Light brown. .. Brown furry. Light furry ... poor .fair .. . 182 Mirzapur.......... .................. ............. . fair ... aver... 132 Allen's Staple X Peerless X Nimnari .. 102 Nimari............. ................. poor .. fair .... A millimeter is equivalcnt to 0.03937 of an inch. 4:A gramme is equivalent to 15.4 grains. Greenish. Light Greenish. I brown.... Brown furry. I I' Pi ,ni: 111.-Open 1bo]]s of Americani and Foureignpo't Ions. Reduced 1-6. 406 BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HYBRIDS. Cherry's Cluster x Cook x Afi (152).-Leaves of two kinds, one dark green with upper surface smooth and lower with few scattered hairs, other free from hairs, except along the veins on under surface; petiole in some cases partly red with deeper red spots, others with slight tinge of red and also spotted; petals in some flowers bright yellow, in others almost white; involucre.slightly adhering base smooth and tinged with red; bolls in shapes resembling both parents. Rust proof x Peerless x Afifi (157).-Leaves smooth on the upper surface, short hairs on the lower, petiole tinged red with dark dots over surface, also over the midrib, leaf very decidedly wrinkled; petals in some flowers bright yellow with red spot at the base, in others lighter yellow free of red spot, but in a reversed position on the torus; involucre on the bright yellow flower, large bright green tinged with red on the outer surface, spotted with darker green, only slightly joined at base, fringed with hairs, those on the lighter colored flowers about two-thirds the size and in other respects like the larger involucre; pistil in the bright yellow flowers with a long style and recurred stigma, the peduncle is as long as the involucre, the pistil in other flow, ers is shorter with a broader calyx cup, peduncle only onethird as long as in the other flower. Afi x Cherry's cluster x Cook (171).-Some of the leaves have smooth surfaces above and hairy below while others are covered with hairs, petiole and veins are dotted with black spots; petals bright yellow, in one flower red spot at base wanting in another, spotted with red on the upper margins, those petals with red spot at base grow on the torus in a reversed position to others without the red spot, the latter are larger; involucre in one case slightly adheres at base free in other flowers, the first are hairy on the outer surfaces and the latter are hairy only on the margins, the former is also larger than the latter; peduncle tinged red with three deep red spots just below the calvx cup. 407 Truitt x Cook x Afifi (149).--One leaf is decided Afifi type while others are decidedly Cook in shape (or g. hirsutum) and hairy surfaces some of the flowers are more like the Afifi parentage while others resemble the hirsutum with the exception of a small red spot at the base of the petals. Barnett x Cook x Herbucco (165).-The entire surface is hairy because both parents are so conditioned; two kinds of leaves, the same in shape, but one with very few minute hairs almost smooth and a darker green; flowers in some instances with deep yellow petals and red spot at base, while in others the petals are lighter in color, red spot absent, involucre with few hairs on outside and adhering at base, peduncle tinged red, but devoid of hairs; very few black smooth seeds in bolls, but mostly white furry with a few green seeds present. Petit Gulf x Cook x Bamieh (153.)-The following illustrations give very clear ideas of this hybrid: FIG. 5.-Leaf from Hybrid Petit Gulf X Cook X Bamieh. 408 FIG. 6.-Leaf from Hybrid Petit Gulf X Cook X Bamieh. Leaf (a) has fnlue hairs on the under surface and very few on the petiole and along the veins on the upper surface, spotted red, black dots on petiole, (b) no hairs, petiole redgreen, dotted black, (b) contains a gland on the midrib, but this is wanting in (a); petals (a) bright yellow (b) lighter, in (a) red spot is retained at the base while in (b) it is absent; the upper half of the involucre is tinged red with a few hairs on the margins; the pistil in (a) is more slender 'Q'.'; '3 t } - fbt h -s fe~atures of each parent. Reduced 1-63. 410 than in (b); some of the seeds are black with the staple slightly adhering, some deep green with fibre strongly adhering, some yellowish white with thickly adhering fibre. i /( i \\ a.o ' , "' CL-L /ts-3 FIG. 7.-Parts of flower; Hybrid Petit Gulf X Cook X Bamieh. (The number, 153. refers to experiment. See table, page 405.) /,T0 '6Y.353 FIG. 8.-Parts of flower; Hybidc Petit Gulf X Cook X Bamieh. Iilrs o~ 0, the under sOitane, all other surfaces smloothl, pietiole and wense dotted, only 01nu0 kind of leaf onl the pl ants; petals in ,onile tin wo' s deer ellowi \ and large r tlianu il others, redl spot at hase of all petals ; involunere in s l~le cases covered w ithi short hairs ini others 5111 oth, except o margins ; e;Lly- c(up in those ti wers w ith large'r petaths is more cleft t han ill the sma~l ler ti wers. (rIn -J's cb.c/1 pp ,x 11,00;( I 121 .- Leaves three and fir e lobed, almost eintirelx smoo th over all surfaces, petioles and veiis spotted ; Ilow~ers of t \xo kinds, some tending more to the Clierry and (Cook types while others are as duid, in their features towards the B amieli form, although Pic~. 9.-Bolis ofHbi Cer' Cl~ustr AC Coup X BIlieli 121. bo0th paieints are ev ident inl each kind; the. bolls are also coinp ound iii shape and size, as is shnown in the illustration, iiU 9. Tloni pducl anid shiarp point to the boll are ]laiol oharctristics, adthe short ped i ies anid more rounded o poits are features b elonging to the othier parent, the hhowiii. of two parents is also shiown in tihe form and conitonofthe in ohucie, tile inl w1xxith the long peduncle 412 exhibits the Bamieh involucre while the second one to the right is more like the Cherry's cluster involucre; the seeds are black smooth (few), white and green furry in about. equal quantities, most of the seeds are large. Ten best cottons as to strength, maturity, twist and amount of lint. of hybrid. Name d+" 149 171 121 122 153 130 160 192 191 Truitt X Cook X Afifi.................19.0 Exel. Afifi X Cherry Cook. .... ........... 13. 1. Exel. Cherry X Cook X Bamieh ........... 12.29 Exel. Sea Island X Afifi.....12.13Exel. Petit Gulf X Cook X Barieh ......... 10.88 Exel. Wonderful X Peerless X Afifi...........10.16 good.. Bamieh X Cherry X Cook..............II158 good.. Afifi.................................11 47 Exel. Bamieh........................ ....... 18.72Exel. 141 Mannoah X Petit Gulf X Peerless.......tl.98good.. CONCLUSIONS : X Exel 28.6 xel. 26.6 Exel. 29.1 Exel. 30.8 Exel. good.. good.. Exel. Exel. good.. 28 4 29.5 30.5 32.6 33.8 31.0 1. The combination of the gossypiurn hirsutun and gossypium maritiimum yield a cotton plant which produces fibre of the best grade in strength, maturity, twist, length, fineness and yield per acre. 2. The blending of small and large boll species is not desirable, as a rule, because the resultin eeal utn om r weak and inferior. 3. The q. maritimrn~ is rather slow in maturing its and frost is apt to catch the plant, in this climate, before 60 per cent. of the bolls are open. The hybrid procured by uniting q. maritimum and g. hirsutumn is quicker in bolls. ing maturity, and is more The black, smooth seeds are generally transferred intofurry seeds of a dark brown color. 5. The Egyptian species are finer grades of cotton thanthose received from India, in length of strands, strength and texture. They unite, also more readily with the American species and the hybrids are generally equal the parents in 4. prolific. reach- Mannoah to produce superior grade of staple and 6. qualities.prolific. to. The Sea Island cotton combines with. the Afifi and plant -is rather ent There is a prospect in the stage of the experiments of securing a variety which~ will be a healthy, long staple upland cotton. pres- the-