The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1862-03-15
AGRICULTURAL MATTERS.
RAISING COTTON.
FAC. rs AND NOTES.

FACTS AND NOTES.
We find in the Rural Neac- Yorker the
following article written by Chas. D. Bragg
don OF Illinois, the Western corresponding
editor of the Rural on the growing of cotton,
which we transfer to our columns. Cotton
has been successfully raised for many years
in Illinois; and certainly. if it can be grown
there, our farmers need have no fears of a
failure here. In our opinion, more prof
liable branch of farming can be pursued
than this. Let each one make commence
ment this season-try the experiment, and
then, if successful, be prepared to enter up
on its culture more extensively next year.
The writer says that the upland or
green seeded cotton is the kind which should
be raised in the West:
THE SOIL.
In answer to the question, "What kind of
soil is required ?" but little need be said
beyond this. In order to grow cotton well,
rich, light, porous, well soil is re-
CURED. The light loans of our prairies,
and especially of South Illinois, will be
found well adapted to the growth of this
plant.
PREPARATION OF SOIL.
The cotton plans has long, delicate tap
root, and the soil should be well and deep
ly pulverlzed-say ID to "a inches. The
more thorough the pulverization the better
the preparation of the soil. Some writer's
have recommended trench blowing on our
Illinois lands. On old lands this may be
good practice; but on the new soils, the
sub-soil pillow should be used instead. All
the testimony I have found on this subject
is emphatic in regard to the the Importance
of Thoroughly pulverizing the soil. 1t would
be we'll to throw the soil up in narrow beds
when blowing, by back -furrowing the same.
In the extreme northern limits of the cot
ton growing region it will be found profit
able to fall pillow and let the frost aid in the
process of pulverization. am not convin
ced that this will not be the best policy
anywhere in this States The width of the
beds should depend upon the distance the
rows or drills are made apart. This dis
lance is usually FIVE to eight feet; and it
will be good practice to plant the row or drill
in the center of the bed or land.
CHOICE AND PREPARATION OF sEED.-oUAN
THY.
Good seed can easily be distinguished
from poor by putting it in water. The good
seed will sink. If seed is over year old
the above test will be reliable; for the i'm
perfect seed will have persisted.
OF course the quantity must depend on
the manner it is planted, distance Of rows
where have found less than bushel per
I'D lrT
one and half and two bushels are given
as the quantity required to plant an acre.
Sometimes the seed is sprouted before plant
ing. In our Northern ATTITUDES this may
De important.
MODE oE PLANTING.
Ali testimony goes to show that it is not
profitable to crowd this plant. The distance
IF the rows apart must depend upon the
character and strength of the soil and the
variety of the seed planted. If the soil is
stiff, more seed should be planted than if
light and porous. AS l have before intima-
ted. it is regarded the best practice to plant
in drills or rows in the center of narrow
beds or landslide rows from four to six
feet apart, and the plants three inches apart, |
if in drills, or the hills one to two feet apart.
The quality of the staple will depend much
upon the distance the plants stand apart. A
greater quantity is obtained by thick plant
ng, but at an expense of the quality of the
staple and the strength of the land, with no
increase in the vGtae of the
crop.
The best mode of sowing, as given in
West India and the Southern culture, is to
open drill of uniform depth down the cen
ter of the bed, drop the seed, and cover with
a harrow OF by dragging heavy board or
plank lengthwise of it.
If the seed is planted in hills it may posi-
bly, be dropped by some of our corn plant
ers and covered with hoe. In such case |
the usual distance of planting corn in check
row-three and half or four feet each way
might answer-4 One to one and half
inches is the usual depth-not deeper.
CULTURE.
The ground must be kept clean and the
surface we'll stirred. This is done with the /
board drag, before spoken of, or one-horse
harrow, or a scraper, in the early stages of
its growth. In this early culture care should |
be taken not to disturb the young roots.
Later. small pillow is used to throw dirt to
the plant. Surface culture is generally /
recommended. The laying by is done with
4 turning plow, by which the beds are pre-
served intact or dressed up. the bitches or
lead burrows being cleaned out.
The hoe is used not only to take care of
he weeds and dress about rvthing 1isuSssnt to
chop" or cut out the Pr---sTeaying the
ga Southern writer says Land intended to
De planted in cotton should be bedded up as ear
y In the winter as possible, to allow the freezes
o pulverize the soil thoroughly and the land to
'ettle mediately under the tap root The piow-
ng should be done with the best turning plows as
leeply as the nature and depth of the soil will /
admit, and in the most thorough manner. Espe-
:ial care should be taken to leave no land unbro-
hetnu the %