Cheraw gazette and Pee Dee farmer. [volume] (Cheraw S.C.) 1838-1839, 1839-04-19
creates: improvement we have ever known,
In making butter at this season."
Farmer and Mechanic.
From the South Carollnian.
LocUsr GROVE, Abbeville Dist

From the South Carollnian.
LocUsr GROVE, Abbeville Dist.
Mr.. Editor II have searched in you
agricultural columns, but in vain, for som
article on the culture Of Cotton. Are ou
planters no, aware oflhe paramount impor
tance Of his production Of our country? .
is it taken for granted that every peisol
knows how loraise it? So every person
knows how to fallen pigs. But there art
improvements, and these Improvements
should be disseminated, for the benefit Qfall
Cotton is the chief source of the wealth o
the Southern States, and contributes largely
to the comfort of millions of the huaaau
race. We cannot improve in the chlpre
oft 90 much. 1 would not recommend
that we should raise more than we 10: but
| with care and attention, the same quantity
may be raised on much less ground, by
| which our Ian . would not be 80 soon ex.
haus,ed. iauui !, the s"; .s 'eai "eat,n o.
our country and it is surely unpatT!olc :"
The people, TO destroy or waste 1t. II Is Im'
poverlshlng their FoSleriy'
Wha, is there worthy in mans accumu.
latirg u considerable fortune. if iii doing
this, he has laid waste more land than would
support his pos,erity for generations to
come?
Cotton seed should b" procured from the
best ground. where the Cotton has been well
worked, and the bolls fully maturcd, gath.
ering. for this purpose. the middle bolls :
that is, separating The frs, opening and the
as', from the second. The first bolls be-.
come grown when the stalk Is young and
not prepared to give TO the seed that pertec-
ton which it does in maturer growth
The last opening is generally immature.
from the decay ofthe stalk, cold winds, early
frosts. &c. That which is intended for
seed, should be- picked out when dry, and
neverallow to ferment, which would occa.
sion decomposition ofits parenchyma, and
a predisposition to rot while growing. This
partial fermentation of the seed will not pre-.
vent Its termination; but lis nourIshing
principle being injured, the young plant will
moi have that constitutional vigor, so essen
tial to perfection in growth, but will be sus.
ceptibe fall the disasters incident to the
cotton crop. 1t is equally as important that
we should extend a care to the preservation
Of our seed, as to the preparation of the soil.
A defee'ive seed cannot bring perfect
plant. The more pains We take with regard
10 the preservation OF our seeds, the less
Will bo their deseaeraay- Tho lind eha.i'
be thrown up in beds as early as possible
with turning plough, which will hasten the
decomposition of its vegetable matter
Low moist land should be drawn up with
the hoe, but no other. Some peope con-
tend for a rigid system Of management, as
to the time and manner Of planting and work.
ing crop; but, as there is no regular time
or way Of managing, which will suit the
precarious seasons of our climate, all plants
mus, be modified according to cIrcumslan'
Cos.
There is prevailing opinion among PLAN
,ers, that the sooner cotton is planted, 50
that i, is not killed by frosts, the better. thus
is an error of considerable magnitude. II
experience did not prove 10 The contrary,
we should need no better evidence it seems
to me, than to know that the cotton plant is
a native of warmer climate than this. In
Florida, the West Indies, and Mexico, where
there are no chilling winds or lrosts to stunt
its growth, Cotton grows 10 greater pertec-
ton than in Carolina or Georgia. Cotton
ought not to be planted until there is e'l'
dence of permanent change from ld to
warm, which time every mans Experience
will dictate. Cotton will then come up and
grow off sooner than that which has been
Injured by frosts, or cold winds. Before
planting, the seed should be rubbed in ashes
mostened with water. This will cut the
lint, so that the seed can be dropped more
regularly. And the ashes which stick to
the seed are highly beneficial, as they Im'
part their alkaline qualities to the young
plant, and accelera,e and give vigour to its
growth. Some planters rub their seed be-
fore planting in lime but | prefer ashes, be-
cause it's inherent principle. (alkal,) IS moi
Oniy StiihuluS, w. Z" "o1'
Whereas, lime is only a stimulant, and m'snt
in some instances, engender heat. Ashes
have two fold advantage. They give
heal,hiness 10 the young plant, and an 'mpe'
tus to it's growth, which render it less sus
cep,ible of the influence Of circumstances
After the cotton is up, scraPer shouie
be sun round, fthe land is bedded. ln''
will not throw the soil down, and leave !ht
cotton standing on narrow ridge wh'ef
would impede the progress of the hoes II
chopping out. The cotton should Do lei
IN punches of three or four stalks at place.
the distance, suitable to the strength o
the ground, not putting it TO an entire s'ane
until ,he second time. A great deal IS o'Ie'
| Joet m tho cotton croD. by its being too cloS'