Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1839-03-28
From the South Cdrolinisn.
CULTURE OF COTTON.

Cotton seed should be procured from
the best ground, where the Cotton has
been well worked, and The boIls fully ma
tured, gathering, for hi, purpose, the mid
die bolls; that is, separating 'he first open
ing and the last, from the second. The
tirst bplls become grown when the stalk Is
Young and not prepared to give to the seed
iha, perfection which il does in IA naIurer
growth. The last opening is generally
immature. from lhr decay of the stalk, cold
winds, early trosls, &c. Thai which Is
/ intended for seed, should be picked out
when dry, aud never allowed to heat, or
terment. which would occasion a decnm-
position Of its pareuchvma, aud predls-
,usi,ion tu rot while growing. This par
tial fermentation of the seed will MOI pre-
ven, its germnariou; but its nnuri>hing
principle heins injured. the young plant
will uol have that constitutional rigor, 80
essential TO perfection in growth. nut will
he susceptible Of all The disa- ers Incident
to The COTTON crop. 1t is equally as impor
tant that we should extend IL care 10 The
preservation of onr seed, as to lh' prepar-
alton of he soil defective seed, cannot
hiring perfect plant. The more pains
we take with regard to 'hc preservation Of
our seed the less will be their degeneIacy.
The land should be thrown up in br;is, as
earl Y as possible, with Iuruing plough.
hich will hasten the decomposition of
its vegetable matter. Low nloisI laud
should be drawn up with The hoe. but no
other. Some people contend for rigid
system of management. rs To the time and
manner of planting and workins crop;
bur. rs there is no regular lime or way of
managing, which will snit the precari"u,
seasons ofour climate. all pains must be-
notified according to circumstances.
There is a prevailing opinion among
planters, that the sooner cotton isplanIed,
50 thai it is not killed by lrnsts, The better.
This is an error of considerable magnitude.
Ifexperience did not prove 10 the contrary,
we should need no better evidence, it
seems to me. than TO know that the cot
Ton plant is native Of "A warmer climate
than This. In Florida, The West Indies,
and Mexico, where there arc no chilling,
winds or frost to stunt lis growth. Cotton
grows to greater perfection than i'll Caro-
lima or Georgia. Cotton oug ght not to br
planted until there is evidence of perna
nent change from cold to warm, which
time every mans experience will dictate.
Collon wiIitlen come up aud grow oil
sooner than hat which hes been injured
by fros's. or COLI! winds Before planting.
tie seed should be rubbed in ashes nOl>-
tened with water. This will cut the lint,
SO that the seed can he dropped more reg
ularly. And The ashes which stick to The
seed are highly beneficial, DIS they impair
their alkaline qualities 10 the young plant,
and accelerate and give vignur to lis
growth. Some planters rub their seed be-
fore planning in lime; but prefer asnes,
because its inherent principle, (.Alkali,) is
not only stimulus, but a nourlsllnent
also: Whereas. lime is only a stImulanr,
aud might, in some Instances, ensend"r
want. Ashes have twO.Iold advantage.
They give healthincss to the young plant.
aud an impetus to its growth, which rem
der il less susceptible of the influence of
circumstances.
After the cotton is up,a scrappr should
be run round. if The land is hed,!ed. This
will not throw The soil down, and leave The
cotton standing on a narrow ridge, which
would impede the progress of the hoes, IN
chopping out. The Cotton should he left
in lunches of three or four stalks al place
the distance, suitable to The strength ~
the ground. not putting il to an cnlre
stand until The second time. A great deaI
is often LOST in rhe cotton crop, by its bclus
tor close in the drill. The stalks should
stand at such distances as al all times TO
admi, the sun 10 slime through, upon the
ground. Ii is the eenia! warmth ut the sun,
with free circulation of air, that causes
the cotton TO hear, mature, and Orcn.--
After choppiug our, the Cotton should be
run round with Il turning plough, the b."
next the cotton. This throws The soil 10
The middle, covers the young grass, and
admits the warmth of the sun 10 The root
Of the Co,on; but it should moi stand long
in this condition, before il is run round ID
gam, with one or two turrowS, throwing
The soil back to The Cotton. It's then III
GOOD condition for the second hUrlng. IN
hoeing the second time, tho cotton should
We put 10 perfect stand of nne stalk
'rhuse WING; are TO be removed. should
no, be chopped Of with ti,- hoe but
should be pulled up with the hand. This
is The spcediest way, and the noSI pracn-
cable, as there is no danger Of brusins
those :, hich remain. II has been shown
by experiment, which is better than all tn
theories that eau he addurcd, that one
stalk at II pl tcc, giving it the proper dis
rance, will bear more aud better cotton
than two stalks or more. And this l., not
at variance with the theory of The times;
for two stalks cannon draw more matter
from the earth. than The earth will yield
10 one; but on the contrary will exhaust
the ear'h of those ingredients material to
the formation of the Coltun, which is the