In surface irrigation systems we use beds rather than growing thee crop on the flat for several reasons. The two most important reasons are to assist in the control of water and to avoid water-logging of the cotton; a condition the crop does not enjoy and which can reduce yields drastically. Traditionally, cotton has been grown on one metre beds with furrows either side. In the last ten years "wide beds" or two metre beds, with two rows of cotton planted on a bed having irrigation furrows on 200 cm centres , have been tried in the industry. No surveys are available but the area of cotton planted to w1de beds could be as high as 20,000 ha. In more recent years 75 cm or 30 inch cotton has become topical and a small area of crop is grown commercially under this configuration. This paper restricts most of its discussion to the comparison between the use of one metre and two metrebeds identifying the advantages and disadvantages of both systems. Results of on farm trial work evaluating these two systems is included. A discussion on the role of wide beds with cm row spacings is also included