Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1862-02-27
AGRICULTURAL.
RAISING COTTON.

,osos hut ne trading posts. The fertility of
H. sou however. and the ease with which it
could he cultivated, invited the culture of grain
and wheat was for a number OF years the only
grain produced. Wheat and flour were expor-
led TO France also wine, made from the native
grape. Apples and pears were also cultivated
70 n considerable extent and it is asserted
that there are pear and apple trees these old
French villages which are more than a century
old. and now yield fruit of more excellent
ouality than many of more excellent quality
than many of the more modern popular varie-
ties.
These French traders were not skilled in agri-
culture, and no progress was made in it up to
the time of the wrestling of this territory from
British dominion in 1918 by General George
Rogers Clark. American settlements were
rapidly made thereafter, up to the time of the
war of 1912. Corn became staple, and both
corn and swine were exported. But even after
177S, up to 1870, there is no record of mark ed
progress in agriculture and the writer can find
nothing to establish the fact that cotton had been
cultivated at all up to the last named date. In
that year Q790) company of emigrants from
Hardy county, Virginia, settled near New De-
sign, and we're the first who improved agrcul-
ture in this state. They introduced sheep
husbandry, manufactured linseys and cultivated
flax and cotton--the latter most-and wove it
into clothing Both French and Americans
cultivated tobacco eXtensively-not much for
export, but for their own consumption and for
traffic with the Indians.
Thus it will be seen that cotton has long been
staple in this state. 1t was grown for sta-
pie for domestic manufacture in large portion
of the south half of Illinois, until the manu-
featured goods became so cheap and the pecu-
MARY condition of the settlers such as to render
it unnecessary and Improbable. But it may
safely be asserted that more or less cotton has
been grown and matured in this state each year
during the past sixty years. There is abundant
testimony establishing the fact. Within three
years the writer has seen half acre of almost
mature bolls in Union county and he has in
his possession a single boil, maturcd in 1853 or
go in Cook county. There is documentary
evidence enough, and living witnesses to add
to it, if necessary, to prove the right-the pre-.
empton right-of King Cotton to foothold
on Illinois soil. During the past year con-
siderable quantities of it have been grown.
During the present year large area will be
planted, if seed can be obtained The federal
government has promised to aid in securing
seed for planters.
Now, if cotton is to be cultivated, it is i'm
portant that those who engage in its culture
should do so intelligcnty. 1t can be grown on
Illinois soil because it has been. The writer
has before him mass of testimony from Hi
noisans, gathered by the Illinois Central Rail
road Company, from which are obtained the
following facts and assertions. There ore fortv-
eight different witnesses.
/. OF the Soil hest odo,,tcd In Cotton Ct,1-
tyre-Of those who saw ongbt of tho coil two
believe tbe hest crons can he crown or nra;rie
sod freshly turned over one has grown !,
equally well on old and new land two think it
hest on new land =. one believes il n sure cror
ON fresh. turned sod . one thinks il does host IN
timber. and one on b;ch. sandy land This
testimony NAV be said TO establish but little
but from what the writer has CLEANED il is an
norent that the nlant ran he CROWN IN olmns,
any soil but for the nurnose Of eorlv maturity
and TO secure an extended nicking season. ,hp
dry. light soils should be chosen for the more
nothern latitudes.
.. Penetration of SoH.-1he testimony he
fore us leaves us in the dark on this subiec,
nearly. II seems that the most successful crop
were obtained by turning the prairie sod owe
and planting upon it at once-some in drills
giving it culture similar to corn. with plougl
and hoe: others using the hoe alone Ther
can be little doubt, from what we know Of tn
nature of the plant, and its habit of growth
together with the importance of early maturit,
that thorough preparations will pay, and is i'm
portant.
3. Kind of Seed USed.-The seed first plar
ted by the early immigrants was brought frol
Kentucky and Tennessee. The plant (Go,
Sypitm Heybaceum,) is herbaceous, and of cours
an annual in this state. But the planters d
not seem to have failed to grow what seed the
needed to plant and find no record of e,
periments to establish the utility of "changin
seed"
4. Time of P1antinq.-The testimony befor
me, in a majority of cases. fixes the time {
planting at the LIST to the 10th of MAY. Som
planted the last of ADril. and others succeede
in getting a good crop when compelled l.
insects TO replant the last of Nav. The picL
ing commenced the last of August. and contir
uel through September and October. depenc
ing of course upon the character of the season
1t is important that the CROP be got in as earl
as possible, and vet escape the late spring frost
The plant is not quite as easily nipped bv fro,
as the Indian corn nlant. but does not recov,
from the wilberinp touch of frost as does III
corn. Early nlnntino is imnortaut in ord,
that the season of nieking may he lenotbenet
< vii ,,e,. 4c,.d i, e niacod nt tno
four hundred pounds of pinned cotton per ocr
No ono hos pDornoJ lac ,ha, ,brea b,'rJ,o
Mounds in Tho docun,ort h,forn Nc The n,,ar
H., r,,at IS $50 Jn',',I ~ H., i,,ii, ',
ny snaso, a,,I H. oLInao,,n - ,ha o97i,',.
Four bmvdr"d ro'udC n. ocro Iaf cioonaI oo
Ton ho' tp ~ va
swayd tnrr'd ;''.t I"'.n ,,;,ho,, ~,
ofter cnl,rro ,,an,i',,pla', h., NV, H.
other day asserts ,bnt ,hr"e b """ amd f