The State guard. [volume] (Wetumpka, Ala.) 1847-18??, 1847-06-15

that land is capable. The com
mittee therefore suggest, thai
the rows of cotton be placed suf'
6ciently close to quite cover the
ground; or in other words, they
may be placed closer or wider
according to the strength of the
ground. Thus on poor land, the
rows will increase so rapidly on
any given number of acres, as to
make them approach much near
er in the amount of their produc-
ton to rich land, than is gener-
ally supposed.
The committee will merely al
Jude to the improvement of land
generally by manuring, or other
wise, as being intimately con-
nected with the growing of cot
tomas that subject more prop
erly comes within the province
Of another committee of the so
ciety. They will only remark,
that to grow cotton advantages
ously in this section of country,
it must be done on fresh or ma j.
nured lands. And thus they
have, in very summary man.
ner, disposed of the most impor-
tant matters preliminary to the
cultivation or management oftlle
cotton crop itself.
The committee might, with
propriety, rest their labors here,
from the fact that the manage
ment of the cotton plant has, of
late years, attained to such a de-
gree of perfection as to render
any remarks on that subject al
most an act of supererogation.
They therefore, only propose to
throw out a suggestion or SO for
consideration. A greater pro
portion of labor is bestowed on
the cotton crop than any other,
particularly on large plantations
where it is usual to plough four
times and close hoe atleast three,
and in some years oftener. 1t
has occurred to the committee
that a good portion Of this labor
might be saved by dispensing
with close hoeing, partially or
altogether, according to the field
or year. The mode of proceed
ing is this: the hoe is made to
follow the plough at the requ :
site distance, to ascertain what
grass is killed by it-passing
over all that portion of the row
where the plough has done its du-
ty properIy-and using the hoe
only on the large punches of
grass, or such as may impede the
growth of the cotton. Thus re-
lying on the plough to kill all the
smaller grass. Some of the COM
mittee has tried this plan Of cul-
tiyation, and so far it has worked
well.
1t is a problem not properly
solved, whether it is advisable to
plough cotton approaching to
:aaturation, OF after it has attain
ed tc good size with a full crop
of forms OH it. Your committee
think to plough it, as in the case
of corn after tasseliag and silk
ing, though it might not with sea-
sons and under the most favora :
BILE circumstances injure, posi-
bly, improve it, yet it would be
risking too much.s On the whole,
they are opposed to late plough
ing under the scorching sun of
August.
A variety of plows have been
invented with view to their
adaptation to the cultivation OF
cotton, but they have been pref
~ generally discarded. The scra-
per or eagle plough, as it is some
times called, is the best-answer-
ing some years and on some
lands, an excellent purpose-but
its general utility is doubted
We should not, however, des.
pond of others better adapted
when we consider the great in
ventive genius of the age. In
conclusion, the committee recon-
mend gradual reduction of the
cotton crop to such point as will
admit Of the Improvements of
lands particularly; and general
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