Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-05-21
Directions for the Culture of the
Cotton Plant.
BY JOHN H. KLIPPART.

SoL--Select if possible a dark colorec
sandy, or sandy loan soil, a southern ex
posure if possible. 1t should be well pull
verified, therefore it should be plowed IA
Their deep. twice at least, and then harrow
ed. 1t should then be plOwed in ridges
and the cotton planted on the ridge, so thai
The spring and summer rains will not stand
about the roots of the plant, but will flow
away as soon as possible.
A drought will check the growth of the
plant, and the bolls will not be developed,
but will fall off; a wet season is equally
perniciOus.
TINE n MANNER OF PLANTING.-I1
the Southern States, cotton is planted from
the first of March until the first of June,
as corn is planted in Ohio from the first Of
May until the first of July. The object Of
planting in March appears to be to obtain
time to attend to other farm work, as well
as to realize the entire amount of cotton,
should the season prove favorable. But
even in Georgia and Alabama, the March
planting is frequently cut off by frost. On
account of the comparative shortness of our
seasons, it should be planted as early as
possible, so as to avoid the spring and ear
ly fall frosts. 1t does not bear transplant
ing as we'll as tobacco does.
After the ground has been prepared by
blowing and narrowing, it is then ridged
or furrOwed out; the ridge being from 4
to 8 feet apart one way, and about 2 feet
apart the other. Some planters ridge one
way only, and then plant the seed 10 or
Is inches apart; others ridge both ways
and plant the seeds in rows, 2 by . feet.
There are generally four or five seeds plan
ted in a hill, and these are subsequently,
thinned out, so as to leave two or at most,
three stalks in q hill.
SOAKING THE SEED.-Mr. NJ. W. Phil
lips, one of the most successful cotton grow
ers of Mississippi, recommends that the
seed be thoroughly soaked with salt and
water, or in a brine made by sleeping sta
bic in salt and water for ten DAYS
before using. or until fermentation has en-
sued. The seeds are then dried off with
ashes or lime and plaster-the latter is
preferred, because it makes the seeds per-
fectly white and they can be more careful
ly planted-when the seeds are lightly
covered, that is to say, covered from half
inch to an inch deep with soil. Cotton
seeds are about the size of white beans, and
the quantity of seed for any given plot of
ground, is much the same as that required
for field corn.
AFTER CULTURE-The after culture of
cotton is much like that of eorn-it re-
luires to be kept perfectly free from weeds
and grass.
The crop of cotton can be gathered at
several times; first from the lower bolls-l
-hese ripen first; in many instances the
bolls are gathered before the upper
top ones are in bloom Some days, and
many instances weeks even, after the
bolls are gathered, the middle ones
viii be ready to be harvested, and if the
season be long and favorable, quite late in
he fall, the upper or topmost bolls may be
adhered; but it is very seldom indeed,
ven in Georgia and Alabama, that the top
most bolls are gathered; they generally
re caught by the frost before %ripening.