Southern field crops (exclusive of forage plants) . s oflint) per acre. Cotton plants of medium size, 3 to 5 feethigh, are apt to Ix more heavih fruited in proportion tosize than very large plants. Short internodes, or spacesbetween branches, are favorable to productiveness. Anideal cotton plant should have a numljer of nearly hori-zontal fruiting limbs, beginning near the ground, andcontinuing to arise at each node until considerably abovethe middle of tlie plant. Each fruiting limb on the lowerpart of productive plants should mature at least fourbolls. Cotton bolls of the Sea Island varietie
Southern field crops (exclusive of forage plants) . s oflint) per acre. Cotton plants of medium size, 3 to 5 feethigh, are apt to Ix more heavih fruited in proportion tosize than very large plants. Short internodes, or spacesbetween branches, are favorable to productiveness. Anideal cotton plant should have a numljer of nearly hori-zontal fruiting limbs, beginning near the ground, andcontinuing to arise at each node until considerably abovethe middle of tlie plant. Each fruiting limb on the lowerpart of productive plants should mature at least fourbolls. Cotton bolls of the Sea Island varieties are usuallj- less thanone inch in diameter, and of slender, tapering shape. Bolls ofAmerican upland cotton vary greatly in .size and shape accordingto variety, and the character of soil and .season. The diameterusually varies between 1 \ and 2 inches, and in most oases thebioUs are longer than thick. Rich land and highfertilization, together with abundance of moisture, tend to the size of bolls. 260 SOrrilEBN FIELD CROPS. Bulls of upland eolton are usually of sueli size that froui 40 to110 are required to make a pound of seed cotton. When the boll ripens, it splits usually into four or the di\isions,exposing the seed cotton. The parts of the ])od, or Inir, separatemore or less completely. If they open wide and the outer wallsof the burs curl backward, the seed cotton may be held soslightly that it is easily blown out liv wind or beaten out by rain(Fig. 128). COTTON STRUCTURE 261 237. Storm resist-ance. — The struc-ture of Ijoll mostfavorable to stormresistance, or per-sistence of tlie seedcotton in the bur, isthe following: — (l)Afirm stiff wall,which on drying doesnot curl backward,but serves to supportand protect the seedcotton (Fig. 129). (2) Sufficient sepa-ration of the parts ofthe bur to make pick-ing easy, but notenough to permiteach lock to hangseparately. Fig. 129. — Boll and Busa ABOVE ; BELOW, BOLLS AND Burs lackingS
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