The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1856-04-10
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From the Soil of The South.
Work for April


latitude is planting cotton. We cannot
agree entirely with our valued corrcspon-
dent, NV. T." in his views Of early plant
ing. We do not favor early planting for
the very reasons which seem to have COM
menlc,l it to his favor. Allowance must
be made, however, for the difference in l.ti-
tu'lc between Columbus and Henry county.
Alabama, Il difference amounting to 1T least
II week in the scison, we should think
Making that allowance, we cannot say that
the time Which he recommends for planting
is too soon for his latitude; but We mean
simply To enter ii cavcat against the general
i'lca of e"riy planting of cotton. OF course,
what would he early planting in one place,
would lie late for another. The middle "f
April. for instance, would he early planting
in Clark county. Georgia, Tut it would 'c
late planting for Jackson county, Florida.
We call that early planting, which wou''l,
ordinarily, cause the cotton to have come
up to Il full stand, before the freezes and
/ fro>ls. or even the cold mornings. are gen
orally over. Hence, we should say. the
25h Of March is too soon for the latitude
Of Columbus. We think il planter in that
latitude, is i'll full time who has his crop all
planted hy the 18th of April. Cotton
planted at that time, we think, is more apt
10 come up and grow oft hcaIllily, n,l
long, vigorous stem and strong, broad
leaves; it escapes the lice more certainly.
and they, according to our experience, are
the great ehcmy Of the cotton crop in its
early stages; it consequently ensures Il
more uniform s,an:l, grows to IL larger size,
and fruits more heavily: As our c"rrr>p"n-
dent suggests. there i, more vitality in the
cotton scc'l, and the young plants have
greater capacity to endure cold, than i: gen
orally SUPPOSED. We oi,ce planted toii",,
OH tie 25:h of March, and after it was ur,
we had Il succession of fosts in April,
which killed the corn, but dill nat hiil the
cotton. The young plant, suro;rsd the
cold, but they never recovered from the rf.
frcts Of it. They stood still at the l.,iut
where the frost caught them. until the cot
ton which was planted on :hc 10Th Of April.
overlook them. The tr,st-hi,ten cotton
| WAS the first which naturc.l ON the plant;,-
ton; that is, it stopped growing eallcr
than the balance Of the crop, and ma.nr..d
in that way, with not more than half crop
of h"Ils. We have heard the idea frequent
" advanced that Il frost which nius w,,lr,u,
killing corn. is Of service to it. hut We have
never heard this theory in relation To cotton.
In fact, our experience has satisfied lis that
it will not hold g"n,i in the case Of cotton.
and we do not much credit it us to corn.
though there is some pl,uSibili,y in the en-
plnn'iion given TO the supposed fact.
There is not so much controversy AS to
the mode Of pln",ing. Opening y small
furrow, strewng the seed, ard covering
them, constitutes the operation of planting.
and this is done pretty much in IL. same
way, 10y every boLy. where no machine for
planting is use.l. We will make jus, one
remark, in this connection, in relation to the
quantity Of seed to lie planted to the acre.
We think, generally. that great many seed
are wasted, AMI that they are not only use
leSSIy wasted, bu. actually are an injury t"
the cotton. The whole crust Of the l,e. is
frequently so broken hy the quantity OF
seed coming up. that the Young plants
roots are exposed and suffer; lcsi.lrs, tl,.
work Of chopping out is rendered more ,li:-
ti..ult anl tedious.
We think ita capital arrangement, where
it is practicable, to have the corn crop so
mush in advance Of the cotton crop, tl.a,
the first receives its first working before tho
latter is planted. Where that has not been
':one, however, the pl"ws proceed imrme.li-
ately after the cotton is planted, to give
corn its first working. Our remarks under
that head in the Marcel, number, render any
thing on that subject, unnecessary here; re
marking merely, that it il an important
working and should be carefully and faith
fully attended to; after wlirh we return to
the cotton crop and commence the work Of
its cultivation. Here planters ..egin to dif
fer us widely as possible. One advises ll,a,
the hoes should precele the pows another,
That the plo~s should go before. One ur-
yes he use Of bar pIow, another thinks
nothing but the sweep should lie used at
the first working. Each is sanguine that
his is the proper plan, and eacl, boasts of
success rs evidence Of the superiority Of his
mode Of cultivation. The truth is, there is
no invariahle rule in cotton culture; the
same method Which would be best under
one set Of circumstances, would not he les,
under another. Where the land was thor.
oughly prepared. and Of proper consistency
g. t1,s,,1. 3, I