Boll retention of 12 early flowering positions, early fruiting measurements, and yield of cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., were evaluated with varying planting dates, cultivars, and early season pesticide applications in 1983 and 1984 at Mississippi State, MS. Less days to first effective bloom, fewer monopodia, and lower first fruiting node were associated with plants in early plantings and with earlier maturing cultivars but were not affected by the pesticide treatments. Boll retention declined as positions were further removed from the main axis. In 1983, the major factor affecting boll retention was planting date, while in 1984 differences in pesticide treatments and cultivars were the major factors. Fruiting positions nearest to the main axis appeared to be the most sensitive for detecting variation in the factors. Cultivar by planting date interactions in both years were related to differential earliness of the cultivars.