Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1852-04-10
FOR COTTON PLANTING;

upon long practice and experience In'I w W.
grows and natures best upon SOFT deeP so.lo' 800
know that this requiston may not sulnce ~ g M
all the wants of this plan; thC 'he .h"t our rnle
soil in its consistency, may be all tra' oI 49,
To;obt REQUIRE. and yet there might be an aosenGe
- essential ingredients necessary to Its heat
ond VIGOROUS growth, and maturity. let thlS
all GOOD and necessary as far as 1t goes. we pro-
,ose not now to discuss or to investigate THESE
noints but to settle what may be proper 10 De ooe
in the way of good preparations for the planning
the crop so as to secure the largest yield from tne
soil as we may find it. Following the teachings Oh
nature and the endorsements of experience, we sl''
advise that BY artificial in our preparations
we assimilate rs nearly possible that cn;r'c'ei
or condition of the soil which is known to be oeS'
for this CROP We advise, therefore, that laroS WHICH
are stiff by nature, and which have ciose' 'en'-
cious clay beneath, should be prepared ny u.s.
and very deep blowing. A very common OUT we
think q very erroneous notion prevails, that deep
nrnnarations are not needed for cotton. We have
often heard the argument that the tap root must
zach the hard earth before the plant would begin
70 GROW. An examination of the plant, showing
how largely it relies upon the tap root, to what
depth it shoots down into the earth, added to the
fact that SOFT loose soils peculiarly suited to us
production, must demonstrate beyond question,
that all such conclusions are not only unreasonable
but must be wrong.
We shall insist, therefore, that the preparations
for cotton be very deep and thorough. The usual
method and perhaps generally the BEST IS TO pre-
pare the land by throwing into beds with some turn
inc plow 1t is now, in our estimation, too late IN
the season to do very deep work with this pillow
that being q work which can only be safely done
without injury to the soil, with the exposures OF
our Southern climate in the fall and winter These
preparations which are now to be made must there
fore be done by some pillow which may reach, deep
without turning over or bringing the under layer
to the surface an operation which we think, might
be accomplished successfully by the use OF subsoll
plow in the formation of the bed in connection with
some turning pillow not running so deep as to be
Objectionable.
The plan which we propose is, to lay off the row
with a common scooter or shovel, run the sub-soll
pillow once in that furrow, breaking to such depth
as may be Judged best, as may be conveniently
done with one good mule, then throw furrow
with the turning pillow on each side, and in the
bottom of each of the side furrows run the sub
soil pillow, and then complete the bed with the tur-
ming pillow. Then all the middle of the bed i'm
mediately under the roots of the Cotton, would be
broken and pulverized to such depth as would adj
NIT the roots easily to penetrate, permit the emit
rance of the warming rays of the sun, and health
full needful ABSORPTION of the gases of the atmos
phere In the event of excessive rains, the water
is soon absorbed, and settled so far below the roots
of the younl3 plants as to prevent all damage.
This operation presents to our mind but the single
objection of being tedious, and if the benefits are
what anticipate, that objection is lostin the am
pie compensation for extra labor. We do not in
tend to be responsible in this plan for more than
the suggestion, and offer it to readers for just
what they may think it is worth. We are, how
ever, showing our faith by our works. in its adop-
ton on all our lands which are stiff or which have
a close underlayer of clay. That the nerves of
some of our readers may be quoted little, i'll so
much talk about sub-soil plows, remark: that a
we'll constructed, old fashioned Coulter will answer
the purpose pretty well, and think that all the
new inventions and Improvements, with painted
stocks and patent labels must trace their common
paternity to this rude, backwoods, new ground
pillow. Do not be frightened therefore, at an intro
duction to old friend under new name.
We have thus provided for. the proper prepara-
ton of the middle of the bed before planting, in
which the main roots of the plant are to grow
and which can never, after planting, be reached
by the plow What, therefore, is not now DONE
must remain undone to the close of the CROP The
defects of preparation in other portions of the bed
lying between the drills, may be corrected and
cured by after cultivation. In lands which are flat
and wet we may not by the pillow alone give sutfi-
Gent elevation to the bed. In all such cases we
must perfect the work by drawing up with the
hoes. This is indispensaby important in all basin
lands unless they are relieved by thorough ditch
lug Inc COLCOn plaHL is pecunary unnt TOR an
excess of water-indeed it has very appropriately
received the appellation of dry weather plant.
We are very much inclined to the opinion, that the
developments of time and larger experience will
show that the failures of success on many of our
SOILS will be ascertained to be the presence of too
much water, and the cure will be found in more
perfect draining, where we have little suspected the
existence of the unfriendIy influences.
We are not, however, the advocates of inds-
eliminate high bedding, of all sorts of lands The
teachings OF season must not be blindly rejected
but allowed in the exercise of proper discretion,
to determine what is right. In lands which are
dry and warm, there can be- no benefit in more ele-
Walton than would be necessary for the easy cult
walton of the young Cotton, and in ordinary seasons
the chance for success in such land we would re-
gard to be better on slightly elevated beds, than
on those which are higher.
The distance of the must be settled en-
trely by reference to the quality of the land, with
this crop. The rule is reversed with corn. There
the number of stalks were to be increased in pro-
portion to the fertility of the soil, here they are to
be diminished. In view of the contingency of the
seasons, which exert more control than the char
acter of the soil, in fixing the size to which the
Cotton weed will grow, it is very difficult to de-
termine the distance to be given to the crop in
planting.
The best which do is to make the aver
age product of average year, and make our cal
culations accordingly. The space between rows on
upland should usually be from three and half to
four feet wide and on bottom lands wider, extend
ing on very rich lands to five, and in some cases to
SIY foot for no