The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1854-08-16
AGRICULTURAL.
From the soil OF the South.
COTTON CULTURE.


than once called on to give my mode OF
cotton culture and have done SO days
past in the Southern Cultivator. am
solicited again to give a communication
on the subject. And now that have
finished my days work, and every thing
around me being calm and quiet, have
concluded to give you my system of cot
ton culture from the beginning 10 the end
And do not wish to be understood by the
expression "my SYSTEM" of claiming orr
ginality, for l frankly confess that l have
studied agriculture as the physician stud
les medicine-have corresponded with the
most experienced farmers Of the South,
and have read all the agricultural works
could get. And in this way, together
with my own experience, founded on the
DRY and practice, have adopted the fo,.
lowing mode of operation.
Permit me here to remark, that am an
overseer--have been overseeing on this
place seven years, and have. therefore,
had an opportunity, to some extent, OF
carrying out my views on this subject.
In the first place, make and save all
the manure | 4, by hauling leaves, corn-
stalks and corn from the thrasher, into nv
stock lots, on which never fail to have
the stock penned every night. This work,
together will. littering the stables and
cleaning them out every three weeks, is
assigned to two hands, who are furnished
with cart for the purpose. In this way
any farmer can make as much manure, or
Georgia Guano" as he can haul out in
the winter and spring.
As early after the first Of January as
circumstances will permit, start all the
teams TO hauling manure on the land in
tended for cotton, and deposit it in heaps
sufficiently close, SO as to have every row
nanured alike. Soon after | commence
hauling, | commence cotton land, which
Is done rs follows: lay off my rows
with scooter plow, and deposit the ma
uure in the furrow, on which the beds,
are thrown, vii b one horse turning plow,
or shovel and mould board, the latter |
prefer. The work should be done in time
enough for the beds to settle before plant.
ing, so as 10 prevent tie tearing down of
the beds, In planting, besides other adyan-
tages not necessary to mention here.
The 10th Of April commence planting,
by running the side harrow over the beds
to clean them Of trash and cIods, and
open them with an opener made of tim.
Der twenty inches long, triangular, with
beam and handles; roll my seed well in
ashes or lime, and suew them very regu-
lar, at the rate Of l-2 bushels per acre,
and cover with block "a by I6 inches
four inches thick, followed in front half an
inch. Cotton planted in this way, will
come up in dv.lls not wider than a knife
blade, and looks like q narrow ribbon
streached across the field. / can run as
. close to il as want to. As soon as have
enough cotton up Cor stand, commence
running round it with mississippi Scra-
per-" the hoe hands following, chopping
lightly through, leaving from one to three
stalks, the width of the hoe apart. This
done. | turn oa Il With all hands, and put
1t to stand, after which, run round il
with the side harrow. re balance of
the work b done with the sweep and har-
row, as the season aud circumstances re-
qnire.
have nov given briefly and imper-
fectly, the mode Of cotton culture which
have adopted and practiced for several
years, by which / have made as much
cotton inear bag per scre) Is we could
save.
This has been done, not in Baker nor
Les, nor any Of the cotton growing distric,s.
but in Cherokee, Georgis.
Ia sopclusion, permit me to say, that
u could cultivate my crop Of cotton en-
tiseiy with the hoe. would DO IL, but this
being impossible, | uss the impIiments
that viii do the work as near like the hoe
would do ~ ss possible.
Your =, ~ 9. D. HAnxox.