Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1841-02-25
Communication.
BURN YOUR COTTON STALKS.

Mr.. Editor-I am one of those who be-
iieve that it is The indispensable duty OF eV-
cry man, especially those who call them
selves planters, to communicate to the pub
lie. information no matter how trivial, that
will in the smallest degree promote the
interest Of the farmers generally. There
is no planter 10 the State, venture to say,
who has paid that attention to his farm
that is obligatory upon him, but can give
valuable Information upon almost every
subject connected with the cultivation of
the soil. Ia view of the above obligation,
I have concluded to call the attention Of
farmers 10 one fact, which perhaps will be
more beneficial in cultivaling a crop, than
one would antipatc, from so small mat
ter as burning Cotton Stalks. The hard
times, Mr.. Editor, has caused me to re-
fleet very seriously, upon the failure Of an
other cotton crop. Should that be the
case, ruin must fall upon every class of the
community. Well, in order to enable me,
the more perfectly to succeed in crop OF
cotton, set about to examine every old
stump, Tree, &C., in my cotton field, 10
find out, if possible. what had become Of
the worm or caterpillar that was so very
destructive 10 our cotton the last year. |
proceeded to examine one by one very
closely, but made no discovery, in passing
through the field with my knife in hand,
(as usual with farmers,) whttlins every
little splinter, until exhausted every Thing
in the shape OF wood. / then fell upon
the cotton stalks, where, 10 my surprise,
the first part of a stalk cut up, | found
six cat'erpillars snugly housed in the pe'h
of the stalk. This discovery led ME 10 an
examination of at least some fifty or more
stalks, when TO my asIonshment | found
The worm, some eight or len in every stalk,
and nearly ell alive. NV plan is. to des-
troy these lorers Of cotton Immediately.
and The only elfectua mode that | know
of. is TO burn the stalks. You should set
about Immediately. say The first rain, pull
-..----.-,.r.--.=-. u"r"', uCiure the
caterpillar should eat itself out, in the
shape Of butterfly perhaps, or some 9TH
er insect, ready to deposit its egg as soon
as your cotton should begin to form squares
or bolls. By adopting the above plan.
thousands and tens Of thousands may he
destroyed, which will remove entirely, in
my opinion, The greatest difficulty in max
ing crop Of cotton. But, perhaps some
farmers may conclude, that as planters
generally plant corn after cotton, ii will
make no material difference as 10 burning
the stalks. But stop; let ME ask you if
YOU are certain that the chnch bug is not
a production o!,his very caterpillar; aud
besides that, many farmers, notwithsland
ing they adopt the rotation plan Of farm
ing, are necessarily compelled 10 plant
some cotton in the same field twice, and
perhaps thrice in succession? You will
excuse the dress, Mr.. Editor, in which this
article appears, as my object is simply to
elicit degree Of attention 10 this matter,
and to draw forth from those more expc-
rienced than myself, information which
will elevate the science Of agriculture 10
station which it deserves.
A YOUNG PLANTER.