The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1862-05-09

a package of Cotton Seed, for which he
will please accept our thanks. The State
of Ohio purchashed three hundred BUSH
els of cotton seed from Beaufort, S. c.,
which is being distributed to the people
of the State for experimenting with
Any person in the county wishing to cul-
tivate cotton can procure the seed by ap-
plying to the Clerk of the Court, who has
been furnished with sufficient quantity
to give enough for experimenting with,
to those who may deserve it. We append
directions for the culture of the cotton
plant, by John H. Klippart.
So1L--Select, if possible, a dark colored
sandy or sandy loan soil, with a southern
exposure, if possible. 1t should be well
pulverized, theefore it should be plowed
rather deep, twice, at least, and then har-
rowed. 1t tshould then be plowed in ridg
es and the cotton planted on the ridges,
so that the water of the spring and sum-
mer 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
will fall off wet season is equally per-
nicious.
TINE AND MANNER OF PLANTING-In
the Southern States cotton is planted from
the first of March until the first Of June.
according to circumstances, as corn is
planted here in Ohio from the ii st %
May until the first of July. The object
Of planting in March appears TO b. %
obtain time to attend to other farm wo:k
as well as to realize the entire amount oi
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 early fall frosts. 1t
does not bear trausplanting as we'll as to-
bacco does.
After the ground has been prepared by
blowing and narrowing, it is then ridged
or furrowed out the ridges being from
1 to 5 feet apart one way, and about 2
feet apart the other way. Some planters
rige one way only, and then plant the
seed II to l8 inches apart; others ridge
both ways, and plant the seed in rows,
say feet by 5. There is generally four
or FIVE seeds planted in hill, and these
are subsequently, thinned out, so as to
leave two, or at most three stalks in a
hill.
SOAKING TIE So1L:-Mr NJ. w. Phil
| lips, one of the most succ, >ful cotton
growers in the Mississippi, recomends that
the seed be thoroughly soaked with salt
! and water, or in brine made by sleeping
stable manure in salt and water for ten
days before using, or until fermentation
has ensued. The seeds are then dried off
with ashes or lime or plaster--the latter is
preferred because it makes the seeds per-
fectly white, land they can be more CAREFUL
ly planted. When the seeds are planted
they are lightly covered, that is to say,
covered from half an inch to an inch deep
with the 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 corn; it re-
quires to be kept perfectly free from weeds
and grass. The crop Of cotton can be
gathered at several times; first from the
lower bolls,-these ripen first; in many
instances the lower bolls are gathered be-
fore the upper or top ones are in bloom.
Some days, and in many instances
weeks even, after the first bolls are gath
cred the middle ones will be ready to be
harvested, and if the season be long and
favorable, quite late in the fall the upper
or topmost bolls may be gathered; but it
is very seldom indeed, even in Georgia
and Alabama, that the topmost bolls are
gathered; they generally are cought by the
frost before rp.ning.