Cheraw gazette and Pee Dee farmer. [volume] (Cheraw S.C.) 1838-1839, 1839-04-19

!, then in good condition for the second noe
ing. In hoeing the second time, the co.to
should be put 10 perfect stand cfone stalk
those which are TO be removed, should no
DC chopped with the hoe, but should b.. prx
ed up with hand. This is the speediest way
ard the most practicable, as there is no dun
ger of bruising those which remain. 1t ha
tbeen shown by experiment, which is bette
than all the theories that can b, adduced
that one stalk at place, giving in the pro
per distance, will bear more and better cot.
ion than two salks or more. And this i:
not IN variance with the theory Of the times
Tor two stalks cannot draw more ma ter
irom the earth, than the earth will yield to
one but on the contrary will exhaust the
earth of those ingredients material to the for.
nation of the cotton plants. And no plan.
I ter wi ldsny ,lat there 10 nIose vaivis.,ey IL.
a perfect plant, than one that has been
bruised, murllaied, or wounded, in any way.
Its Transportation is free and unres,rained !;
no waste offs juices, their renova ing prin.
! ciple being carried out TO their ultimate per.
lection. We may attribute, and very cor.
.sc,lv 100, the barrenness Of some STA ks to
the WOUNDS uIiaa bruises which have been in.
flcted, when y"ung, ether upon the STALK,
or about is roots. And nigh: we not, with
equal propriety, view this as one of the caus'
es which hasten the degeneracy in our seed.
Could we but view scientifically the progress
Of the cotton plant, from its gerrhinaton to
maturity, and see the analogy oCits consti.
iuent parts, we would see that perfect
growth is necessary to the perfection Of
seed. Then surely it would be prudent in
every planter to use these necessary pains;
they require no more time and would cvi-
.ntly increase The quantity uponthe ground.
And the purity of the seed would be great
desderatum in the next crop.
The third working should De given with
as much or more care than the second
The roots are then spreading in every d.
rection, and the stalks are in good way OF
bearing. There is q universal practice
among some planters, in the third, and in
the las. working, to plough deep and bed up
high. This is an error which is attended with
inconceivable injury. Every experienced
planter knows that there is the bulbous or
largo root that strikes perpendicular and
deep into The ground, and the fbrous or
small roots, that run horizontally immedl-
ately Under the surface ofthe ground. The
office of the latter is to seek for nourlshment,
which is essential to the support oflhe bolls.
The main root, which strikes into the
ground. collects moisture and supports the
| s,alk. Now, what must the result OF cut
| ting ,s,osr 6bsAus roots with the plough, in
dry weather. or at any time, for We have
M warranty Of rain' The consequence
must be dropping Of the bloom, and a
barrenness of the stalk, until rain comes
again, that these roots may take fresh
start to grow. Or even if the p!oughlng
should not be of suficieu, depth TO cut the
roots, the soil is drawn off with the hoes, in
pilling i, round the stalk the earth dries TO
isusuaI depth, and these roots are exposed
to the burning rays of the SUM-. have seen
the effect of this so strong as to fire the low.
er leaves Of the stalk.
Another alternative consequence OF the
high bedding system. is. that the Cotton de-
riyes no benefit from light showers. The
water ncIines to the middle, and runs off or
evaporates, and does the Cotton no good.
No;hing short of thorough wetting rain
will do any good.
Perhaps some one would enquire am /
totally opposed 10 the bedding system
would answer there is a medium in all things.
Every virtue carried to excess, becomes q
vice. A broad fiat bed would serve the re-
ouisi,e purpose. My plan is to run round
with broad scraper. This runs immedi.
a,sly under the surface, destroys the small
grass. and neither tears down or throws the
bed up higher; and with one or two fur.
r VS., with turning, plough to split the
middle, then, if necessary, to draw from the
middle furrows, with the hoe, alitte Of the
soil depositing it, each side.
This answers the double purpose of shad'
ing and accumulating moisture about the
roots of tho Cotton, and absorbing more
water during light showers. Whereas, the
high beds lose more moisture even in dry
weather, because evaporation goes on from
the surface of The ground. The surface
being increased, Of Course evaporation is
increased.
Itmay be thought that these little cares
and pains arc too trivial and unimportant to
compensate for the additional trouble. But
if there is anything in three years expert
snce and observation, am prepared to say
that they will amply repay for all this addl'
t,onal trouble. "Without pains, there are
no gains, as poor Richard says"