Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-03-04
P1AxrAr1oy, sumter CO.. Feb 10th. ,5s

ture:
PLANTATION, Sumter CO.. Feb 10th, SO.
manage my cotton fields in this way: AS
early in January as possible-say the 10TH
commence first breaking up the stubble and
corn fields with square pointed scooters, deep
and close, in proportion to the nature of the
ground. Then, us much of the ground as was
In cotton the year before as time and the
character of the seasons will allow-selecting
such fields first as would be most improved by
being broken up About the lst of February
i begin drawing or laying of rows, from
three to four feet apart. to suit the nature of
the ground and its disposition to grow and
make woody fibre. as some soils are more dis
posed to run into the production of stalk
lhan other soils. | then, as soon az | can,
run two more burrows on the one laid of,
commencing first with the newest and highest
ground so that it may settle and become more
compact | then continue with three burrows
ON all the balance of the land designed for
cotton. / sometmes-yes, often use the turn
ing scooter instead of the turning shovel, to
run the two burrows, especially where the
ground is close. This answers several good
purposeS-less labor on the mule, runs deep
or and gives To the shovel in bedding out east
OF work, and consequently less wear TO the
mule my purpose being all the time to look
| to its wear and tear, when 10y doing you
can at the same time subserve better end
/ ana prepare the 8fDunu Dttter. SOME TWO
weeks before time for planting, or earlier,
| begin bedding ont. If have any fields sus-
| ppct will grow grass early or quick, or new
| grounds. first year in cotton. bed and plant
! those fields last and work them first: You
| should not put Off too late to begin bedding
| out, lest bad spell of weather may come on
md the time for planting may not find you
ready. From the 10th to 18th Of March lind
the best time for planting cotton. 1t is a
| Mo mt nd NJ ly mr. yfad
| by frost, and so far as my experience goes,
| Yields in proportion to its age. | usually
] take week To plant my cotton crop. Iplant
! my cotton crop with cotton planter, (domes-
tic manufacturer it is a board some two inches
/ thick, twelve inches wide and two feet long,
| with a keel in the centre underneath and a
coulter in 'front.' worked on common scooter
stock. This opens smooth drill some three
inches wide and about two inches deep, in
which sow the cotton seed and cover with
the common board. a little rounded out in
| the middle taking care that the board is long
enough to reach full across the bed. AS soon
rs the cotton is up, chop IL out. L do not
side with any kind of pillow before chopping
out but chop before siding, the seed having
been dropped in a narrow drill by the planter,
il does moi require siding before ehopping. |
chop out with all hands, the plows and mules
! bcin. stopped for the present i chop out 10
two three aud four stalks, hoe width, re-
auring that rule strictly carried out This
work j. easily done in u week. then imme-
diately with my whole force OF mules, now
we'll rested. bar the cotton with turning
shovels. l then without delay drop the plows
aud mules again and work the cotton a sec
ond time with all hands. cleaning il good and
bringing it down 10 more generally two stalks
/ then begin the use OF the solid sweep, not
only to put dirt up and back 10 the cotton
but To reform the bed which has by this tins
been drawn dOwA some little by the hoes
(The wing sweep being more OF cultivation
dos not ri this working DO so well-it doe:
not control dirt enoagh) l then finish tbs
cultivation of my crop with hoe and wins
sweep taking care 10 pui AZ little dirt a. pos'
sibie 20 the cotton the whole working, mo-
caring 10 return TO solid sweep except from
had seasons, 10 assist In destroying coat o
young grass coming up. When the cotton i
| large enough 10 trust Ia one stalk and n.
season for lice Is over. il is then brought dowI
To one stalk / thiak the product ofa eottol
crop depends very much upon its being work
ed quick In lis first working. Nothing like
quick lick for cotson--wherefore never ruI
but six burrows ia the three fret plowings o
. my cotton. had the sheet steel makes tn
best solid sweep, Ii inches wide, y 20 :
inches long. These are some Of my genera
. rules for the cultivation OF my cotton crop.