INFORMATION ON COTTON PRODUCTION IN CHINA, 1951

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000700180355-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 6, 2011
• Sequence Number: 355
• Publication Date: May 26, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

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INFORMATION ON COTTON PRODUCTION IN CHINA 1 1
M: en-ch'an Kun -tso Ts'an-k'ao Tzu-liao
Reference
Peiping , 1,52 Materials on Cotton Production)
LSary: Deep plowing, retention of soil moisture, seed selec-
tion, soaking and disinfection of seeds, close planting in hills or
rows, protection of plants and transplanting wher.reoy, increased
use of fertilizers and irrigation, and better provisions for insect
control are greatly increasing the production per unit of are. of
cotton in China.
The 1953 production goal of the Yun-ch'eng State Farm in Shansi
was 1,000 catties of ureinned cott',n per mou on irrigated land and
600 catties per mou on nonirrigated land.
On the Shuang-ch'iao Experimental Farm near Peiping, introduction
of Soviet techniques, particularly close planting and deep ?lowing,
increased the yield from 34 catties of unginned cotton for mou in
1949 to 380 catties in 1951
I. TECHNIQUES FOR HIGH COTTON PRODUCTION
A. Deep Plowing
The development and introduction into general use of new-type implements
that permit deep cultivation is a matter of high priority for increasing the
cotton yield per unit of area in new China. Old-type implements seldom permit-
ted disturbing the soil to a depth greater than 3 inches. Plowing to a depth
of 5-7 inches is now the settled goal.
B. Retention of Soil Moisture
Promotion of the technique of conserving soil moisture by frequent harrow-
ing and other means of maintaining a loose surface in the fields is one of the
most important developments occurring in the cotton culture program of new China.
C. Seed Selection
Since 1950, the program of the Central People's Government for seed selec-
tion to improve cotton quality by uniformity of seeds has been raised from a
former level of 70 percent to a level of 90 percent and in some cases even 98
percent. Model cotton growers emphasize the following specifications in seed
selection: Sturdy, high producing, early ripening plants, free from all. trace
of insect or disease damage, with long, even fibers, and able to withstand wind
and rain damage are the types to be selected for seed. Before planting, care-
ful screening of the seed by hand must be carried out to eliminate a),'. inferior
seeds.
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D.
Soaking and Scalding Seeds
Soaking seeds to hasten sprouting and pouring boiling water over them to
destroy disease bacteria is a technique more frequently used. After soaking,
the seed may be mixed with wood ashes or gravel to prevent bunching and to pro-
mote even sprouting. The seeds should be planted just after the sprouts begin
to appear but before they become long enough to rub off.
E. Planting
The chief advances made have been in timing, taking advantage of soil mois-
ture by deep-planting (three or four fingers deep), by planting in hills or
rows and covering with moist earth which is in turn covered by dry earth.
F. Protection and Transplantat on of plants
Where plants fail to come up the skips should be immediately replanted with
the same kind of seed. Interplanting of other crops is not recommended for cot-
ton fields. During the last 2 years a new technique, transplanting cotton to
replace plants that failed, has been developed. In laosi Province in 1950, some
58,000 plants were transplanted with a survival rate of 95 percent. In 1951,
the practice spread much farther. In one case, a yield of 450 catties of unginned
cotton per mou was obtained from plants transplanted as late as 28 May.
In 1951, the practice of combining thinning of cotton plants with detection
of cotton aphids was initiated. This is a valuable technique worthy of widespread
emulation.
G. Close Planting
It has now been demonstrated by a number of state farms and model cotton
growers that the Soviet contention that, given sufficient moisture and an in-
crease in the proper use of the right kinds of fertilizers, significant cotton
production increases can be -ecured by close planting.
H. Fertilization
There has been a notable increase in the use of fertilizer by Chinese cot-
ton growers during recent years. The general increase in 1951 over 1950 was
from 20 to 30 percent. Bean cake, alone, supplied to Hopeh cotton growers in
1951 amounted to 00 million catties, a 300 percent increase over 1950. ?h'u
Yao-li. model cotton raiser of Shansi, used 12,000 catties of barnyard manure
as basic fert#lizer and 16 catties of ammonium sulfate as follow-up fertili-
zer. Liang Chia-jui, model cotton raiser of Hopeh, used a mixture 9,000 catties
of barnyard manure, 150 catties of flaxseed cake, and 100 catties of bean cake
as a basic fertilizer, with 34 catties of ammonium sulfate as follow-up fertil-
izer. These two farmers secured up to 912 and 745 catties of unginned cotton
per mou, respectively.
I? Irrigation
Model cotton raisers have been giving careful study of the improvement of
irrigation techniques for cotton fields.
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J. Insect Control
There has been much improvement'in insect control. The principle of early,
over-all, and coptinuous extermination has been popularized. Technical develop-
ment in the sciesrtific application of dusting and spraying procedures has been
rapid. Stations. to compound insecticide formulas are being established,- in var-
ious areas to supply chemical insecticides to the farmers in surrounding'areas.
K. Pruning and Topping
Pruning, suckering, top thinning, bole thinning, and late season leaf thin-
ning are becoming standard procedures with progressive cotton growers in China.
II. REPORT ON YUN-CH'ENG STATE FARM
A. Production Data
1. Large-Scale CultivFtion
The production area involved was 804 mru and the types planted were
Ching-ssu, Ssu 4B, and 517. Total production was 237,839.08 shih..chitt one
shih-chin equals, 0.5 kilogram of unginned cotton, an average o 295.86_shih-
chin per mou.
The breakdown of plots and production figures are as follows:
Total
Size of 1hirrigated Production, Yield
Unginned per Mou
Field (moil) 1 e (shih-chin) shih-chin
100 Ching-ssu
ssu 4B (35 57,E
542 Ching-ssu (395 mou) ~-? ,,~.
517 (40 mou) 164,76
Ssu 4B (107 nou)
160 Ching-ssu-(130 mou)
1-0
(alkali soil) ,$4 4B (30 mou) 14
%
570
7f- '
30h
20 Ching-ssu 1,671 835
(experimental) ,
v~ -
2., Technical Exper
This experiment involved 19 mou. The total production was 10,000 shih-
chin of unginned cotton, averaging 526 shih-chin per mou. The breakdown is as
follows: ..
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Size. of Plot (mou) Tie
1.08 (irrigated) Ching-ssu
Ssu 4B
1.6 (irrigated) Ssu 2B
2.16 (irrigated, Ssu 4B
antiaphid Ching-ssu
exile imental 517
plot)
Tot,.]. Prc:luctaon P_
(shih-chin)
1,02? 'uneinned) 947
676
(unginned)
The total yield of unginned cotton for the 823 mou of the farm under cotton
cultivation was 247,839 shih-chin or 307. shih-chin per mou. This was 20 percent
over the original goal of 250 shih-chin per mou and 158.6 percent over the 1952
production of 116.7 shih-chin per mou.
B. Factors in High Production
1. Intensive Cultivation and Increase in Use of Fertilizer
On the Yun-ch'eng State Farm the practice is to deep-plow once, shallow-
plow twice, and harrow five times in order co thoroughly pulverize the soil, con-
serve soil moisture, and improve utilization of organic material in the soil.
On experimental plots 4,000 catties of horse manure, 200 catties of cottonseed
cake, 100 catties of bone meal, and over 100 catties of ammonium sulfate werg
applied on 1.08 mou.
2. Seed Selection
Careful seed selection and preparation is practiced.
3. Timely Irrigation
The method used by model cotton grower Ch'u Yao-li, frequent shallow
irrigation, has been adol.ted on this farm with beneficial results.
4. Close Planting
The Yun-ch'eng Farm has adopted the Soviet technique of close planting.
In 1951, the average plant derjity was 2,400 plants per mou with a maximum yield
of 400 catties per mou. In 1952, the average was 3,000 plants per mou with
yields up to 570 shih-chin for nonirrigated.land and from 676 to 928 shih-chin
on irrigated land.
5. Antidrought and Triple Thinning Measures
Tamping the seed as it is sown is a_good means of fighting dry soil
conditions. This method is not new to China, but merits much wider use. Tri.
pie thinning results in only the very sturdiest plants being left to produce.
On 1.08 mou, specially close planting was practiced by spacing plants one-third
meter apart each way. This resulted in having 4,181 plants on one: mou. The
yield was 928 catties of unginned cotton per mou. With proper attention to
irrigation methods and the growing season this yield could be increased to 1,400-
1,500 catties per mou.
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6. Timely Antiaphid Measures
During 1952, the Yun-ch'eng Farm sprayed for aphids as often as six
or seven times in the most seriously affected spots.
C. Future Plans
1. The Yun-ch'eng Farm will continue to use and promote the use of 517,
Ssu 4B, and Ching-ssu type seeds.
2. Cotton acreage on the farm will be increased from 823 mou in 1952 to
1,000 mou in 1953. One hundred mou of nonirrigated land will be irrigated in
1953. Experience has shown that cotton yields on irrigated land are practically
double those on nonirrigated land.
'.. Deep plowing and increased use of fertilizer will be expanded to the
'total acreage. Eventually all cotton land will be deep-plowed twice.
4. Close p',nting will be extended until all cotton acreage on the farm
will carry 1,000 sore plants per mou than the average in the area. Experimenta-
tion will be carried on, directed toward developing a strain of Ssu-tzu cotton
that can be close-planted.
5. 'Ample supplies of antiaphid chemicals are being accuaarlated to make
possible immediate and adequate attack on aphids at their first appearance.
6. Production -per -uni Aoai for 1953 is 1,000 catties and 600 cetties.of
unginned cotton, respectively. fur 'rrigated and nonirrigated land.
III. CONDITIONS ON SHUANG-CH'IA0?.E} RIIWTAL FARM
The Shuang-ch'iao Experimental Farm is operated by the Farm'Machinery
School which is directly controlled by the Ministry of Agriculture. It is
loc'.ted about 30 11 from Peiping, at the market town of Shuang-ch*'iao, in
T'ung-hsien, Hopeh. It has a total area of 2,700 mou of whih-h.1,940 mou is
arable land, the rest being occupied with buildings, ditches, roads, 'etc.
Since 1950, the farm has been particularly concerned with cotton culture
and animal husbandry, both as an instructional feature and as an example for
several tens of other state-operated mechanized farms. An area of 1,800 mou
of land is'now being rotated between cotton and pasture. Some 140 mou is
being planted in r. protective timber belt around the boundaries.of the farm
as a forestry experimentation project-. The farm is operated directly by the
Ministry of Agriculture with the. aid of Soviet agricultural experts.
In 1951, the average cotton yield on 944?mou of nonirrigated land was
296 catties per mou, an advance of 80 percent over 1950 and 18C percent above
private farmers' production in the area. This success is attributed to adop-
tion of the Soviet techniques of close planting, deep plowing, increased use
of fertilizer, and pruning. In 1951, the 'ant density-was 3,600 per mou.
Cotton production on the Shuang-ch'iao'farm I. 1949, the first year of
its establishment, was 34 catties per mou. Personnel that year were uncon-
vinced of the superiority of Soviet techniques.
In 1950, the density of plants was raised from 1,500 per mou to 2,500
per mou. Production rose to 163 catties of unginned cotton-per mou. In.1951,
30 mou were set aside for experimentation with ten different densiti.s of plant-
ing. Results showed that wheneve:.4,500-5,500 cotton plants,per.mou were planted
380 catties or more per mou could be harvested.
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Z...: project for 1952 is to increase this figure to 450 catties per mou on
nonirrigated land and 1,000 catties on irrigated land. Improved methods of
plowing and better use of fertilizers when combined with close planting will
made possible this higher increase.
Beginning in 1952, the experimental farm will follow the advanced Soviet
methods of crop rotation. The area under cultivation will be divided into six
sections, three planted to cotton and three to grass for pasture and green fod-
der. When the planting of trees iq added his combination of agriculture
and animal husbandry, the soil can be basically enriched and the climate changed
with guarantee of'abundant future harvests.
On this experimental farm many changes in metLids have increased cotton
production during 1949, 1950, and 1951. In 1949, old methods of cultivation
produced only 34 catties per mou. In the fall of 1949, deeper plowing up to
a depth of 19 centimeters was practiced. In 1950; with the close planting of
2,500 plants per mou, thd~ld was 163 catties per mou. In the winter of 1 50,~j
the ground was plowed to a depth of 20 centimeters and in the next spring 195/
?3,60Q plants per mou were planted. The average harvest was 296 catties per mou.
High production was 537 catties per mou.
.The experiment station presents the following production figures for plots
where the. only difference was in the. density of planting.
1,500
292.4
.2?,000
298.3
2,500
309.4
3,000
295.3
3,500
356.2
4,000
365.3
385.3
5,500
383
6;000.
370.3
'IV. E CPIIi1MENTAL COrrlON PLOT ;r
HONAN
In the Nan-yang Special Administrative District of Honan Province the cadres
used their spare time to experiment with the growing of cotton in a small plat
of land, 1.3 mou in area. Their cotton harvest in 1951 averaged 170 catties of
ginned cotton per mou.
The activities in which the cadres employed improved techniques were in the
preparation of the field, the use of feAili,zers, the planting of the'otton,
the care of the plants, including replanting and transplanting, the cultivation
of the field, the hilling of the plants, pruning, the eradication of insects and
prevention of disease, and the warding off of bad effects from drought.
This cotton'field proved a valuable model of cotton production ~fp r the neigh-
borhood. It is estimated that 30,000 visitors came to inspect it. 'ome were
student delegations but many were regular cotton farmers ;The general reaction
of the farmers was that when cotton is raised with the proper techniques and-with
the requisite care and labor 2 mou of cotton will produce enough to take care of
all the economic problems of a family of four or five persons.
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