Difference between revisions of "Dunn, Rex 1983-10-18"

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Right here will be a general overview of the oral history interview. It will be roughly 3-5 sentences for new interviews, shorter for older interviews.  
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Rex Dunn discusses his background and career in cotton breeding.  
  
 
==General Interview Information==
 
==General Interview Information==
  
'''Interviewee Name:'''
+
'''Interviewee Name:''' Rex Dunn
  
 
'''Additional Parties Recorded:'''
 
'''Additional Parties Recorded:'''
  
'''Date:'''  
+
'''Date:''' October 18, 1983
  
'''Location:'''
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'''Location:''' Seminole, Texas
  
'''Interviewer:'''
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'''Interviewer:''' Richard Mason
  
'''Length:'''
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'''Length:''' 1 hour, 45 minutes
  
  
Line 19: Line 19:
  
 
'''Tape 1, Side 1:'''
 
'''Tape 1, Side 1:'''
 +
Background information,
 +
b: Lamesa, Texas, 1924,
 +
To Seminole 1975,
 +
Parents' migration to Plains,
 +
Reasons,
 +
Grandparents,
 +
Cotton breeding in Dunn's family,
 +
Father's experimentation,
 +
Results,
 +
Goals,
 +
Cotton breeders,
 +
Qualities and characteristics,
 +
Father's experience with cotton breeding; James T. Dunn,
 +
Abilities and accomplishments,
 +
Seed operation,
 +
Marketing,
 +
Farmer acceptance of new seed breeds,
 +
Mishandling of seed varieties,
 +
Role of Ginners,
 +
Cotton on the Plains,
 +
Old varieties,
 +
Changes,
 +
Mechanical harvesters,
 +
Characteristics of new varieties,
 +
Fiber content,
 +
Old varieties (again),
 +
Anecdote: crop loss in sandstorm 1926,
 +
Storm resistance problems in the Delta,
 +
Cotton quality,
 +
Delta vs. Plains,
 +
Farmers' awareness,
 +
Educational revolution among farmers,
 +
Development of new varieties,
 +
Role of Universities
 +
<br>
  
 +
'''Tape 1, Side 2:'''
 +
Role of Universities (continued),
 +
Time span required to develop new varieties,
 +
Cost of development,
 +
Independent breeders,
 +
Breeding for strength and productivity,
 +
Reasons for experimentation,
 +
Burning of operation (late 1950s),
 +
Effect of open end spinning on breeding,
 +
Spinning characteristics,
 +
Marketability in breeding operation,
 +
Mechanical harvest,
 +
Picker versus stripper,
 +
Water requirements for cotton,
 +
Lint production levels,
 +
Limitations,
 +
Regional differences,
 +
Breeding goals,
 +
Insect and disease tolerance,
 +
Dry land cotton farming,
 +
Irrigation,
 +
Emphasis on quality cotton,
 +
Role of cotton breeders
 
<br>
 
<br>
  
'''Tape 1, Side 2:'''
+
'''Tape 2, Side 1:'''
 +
Corporate involvement in seed breeding,
 +
Efficiency,
 +
Thoughts of selling out,
 +
Relationship of breeders with mills and farmers,
 +
Guidelines for breeders,
 +
Maintenance of characteristics,
 +
Testing,
 +
Future of cotton breeding,
 +
Glandless cotton,
 +
Insect problems,
 +
Cotton as a food crop,
 +
Hybrid cotton,
 +
Potential,
 +
Economic factors,
 +
Producing for seed rather than lint,
 +
Cotton as food (again),
 +
Seed control as means of world domination,
 +
Versatility of cotton,
 +
Effect of synthetics on breeders,
 +
Comfort as a factor,
 +
Characteristics of a cotton breeder (again),
 +
Future for cotton on the Plains
 +
<br>
  
 +
'''Tape 2, Side 2:'''
 +
Future for cotton on the Plains (continued),
 +
Water supply as a factor,
 +
Conservation,
 +
Water importation,
 +
Potential Plains productivity,
 +
Population growth,
 +
U. S. cottons dominate world market,
 +
Role of private breeders,
 +
Technology transfer,
 +
Characteristics of cotton breeders (again),
 +
Choice of Gaines County for seed operation,
 +
Dealing with weather,
 +
Micronaire,
 +
Problems,
 +
Removal,
 +
Strength as primary factor,
 +
Major developments (post 1958),
 +
Fiber strength,
 +
Growing season,
 +
Disease resistance,
 +
Disease increase,
 +
Factors involved,
 +
Regeneration of soil,
 +
Climate change,
 +
"Kicking the sacred cow"
 
<br>
 
<br>
  
'''Range Dates:'''
+
'''Range Dates:''' 1906-1983
  
'''Bulk Dates:'''
+
'''Bulk Dates:''' 1940s-1983
  
  

Revision as of 20:28, 24 September 2014

Rex Dunn discusses his background and career in cotton breeding.

General Interview Information

Interviewee Name: Rex Dunn

Additional Parties Recorded:

Date: October 18, 1983

Location: Seminole, Texas

Interviewer: Richard Mason

Length: 1 hour, 45 minutes


Abstract

Tape 1, Side 1: Background information, b: Lamesa, Texas, 1924, To Seminole 1975, Parents' migration to Plains, Reasons, Grandparents, Cotton breeding in Dunn's family, Father's experimentation, Results, Goals, Cotton breeders, Qualities and characteristics, Father's experience with cotton breeding; James T. Dunn, Abilities and accomplishments, Seed operation, Marketing, Farmer acceptance of new seed breeds, Mishandling of seed varieties, Role of Ginners, Cotton on the Plains, Old varieties, Changes, Mechanical harvesters, Characteristics of new varieties, Fiber content, Old varieties (again), Anecdote: crop loss in sandstorm 1926, Storm resistance problems in the Delta, Cotton quality, Delta vs. Plains, Farmers' awareness, Educational revolution among farmers, Development of new varieties, Role of Universities

Tape 1, Side 2: Role of Universities (continued), Time span required to develop new varieties, Cost of development, Independent breeders, Breeding for strength and productivity, Reasons for experimentation, Burning of operation (late 1950s), Effect of open end spinning on breeding, Spinning characteristics, Marketability in breeding operation, Mechanical harvest, Picker versus stripper, Water requirements for cotton, Lint production levels, Limitations, Regional differences, Breeding goals, Insect and disease tolerance, Dry land cotton farming, Irrigation, Emphasis on quality cotton, Role of cotton breeders

Tape 2, Side 1: Corporate involvement in seed breeding, Efficiency, Thoughts of selling out, Relationship of breeders with mills and farmers, Guidelines for breeders, Maintenance of characteristics, Testing, Future of cotton breeding, Glandless cotton, Insect problems, Cotton as a food crop, Hybrid cotton, Potential, Economic factors, Producing for seed rather than lint, Cotton as food (again), Seed control as means of world domination, Versatility of cotton, Effect of synthetics on breeders, Comfort as a factor, Characteristics of a cotton breeder (again), Future for cotton on the Plains

Tape 2, Side 2: Future for cotton on the Plains (continued), Water supply as a factor, Conservation, Water importation, Potential Plains productivity, Population growth, U. S. cottons dominate world market, Role of private breeders, Technology transfer, Characteristics of cotton breeders (again), Choice of Gaines County for seed operation, Dealing with weather, Micronaire, Problems, Removal, Strength as primary factor, Major developments (post 1958), Fiber strength, Growing season, Disease resistance, Disease increase, Factors involved, Regeneration of soil, Climate change, "Kicking the sacred cow"

Range Dates: 1906-1983

Bulk Dates: 1940s-1983


Access Information

Original Recording Format:

Recording Format Notes:

Transcript:



Thank you for your interest in this oral history interview. Our oral history collection is available to patrons in the Southwest Collection's Reading Room, located on the campus of Texas Tech University. For reading room hours, visit our website. Please contact Reference Staff at least one week prior to your visit to ensure the oral history you are interested in will be available. Due to copyright issues, duplications of our oral histories can only be made for family members. If an oral history transcript has been made available online, the link will be provided on this page. More information on accessing our oral histories is located here. Preferred citation style can be found here.