Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1862-05-08
p-CorroN SEEp.ASenator Welsh h

sent us q quantity OF cotton seed, for dis
tribution among his constituents. The seed
came from Tennessee, ordered by the Gen
eral Government for distribution in the Free
States. The cotton plant is being success
fully cultivated in Illinois and Indiana We
will take pleasure in distributing the seed to
all who wish to try its cultivation. We give
the directions for cultivating it, by John II.
Khppsrt, Esq, Secretary of the Ohio State
Board Of Agriculture: 4
SOIL. E
Select, if possible, a dark colored sandy,
or sandy loan soil, with a Southern expo
sure, if possible. 1t should be well pulver-
seed, therefore it should be plowed rather
deep, twice at least, and then narrowed. 1t
should then be plowed in ridges, and the
cotton planted on the ridge, 80 that the
water Of the spring and summer rains will
not stand about the roots of the plant, but
will flow way as soon as possible.
A drought will check the growth of the
plant and the bolls will not develop but
will fall off; a wet season is equally PERM
cous. t't.L'
TINE N MANNER OF PLANTING.
In the Southern States cotton is planted
from the first OF March until the first of
June, according to circumstances, as corr is
planted here in Ohio from the first of May
until the first of July. The object
in planting in March appears to be to
obtain time to tend to other farm-work, as
well as to realize the entire amount of cot.
ton, 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, il should be planted as early as pos
sible, so as to avoid the spring and early
fall frosts. 1t does hot bear transplanting
us well as tobacco does.
After the ground has been prepared by
blowing and narrowing, it is ridged or fur
rowed out; the ridges being from 4 to 5 feet
apart one way, and about 2 feet apart the
other. Some planters ridge one way only,
and then plant the seed II or Is inches
apart others ridge beth ways and plant the
seeds in rows, say 2 feet by s.. There are
generally four or five seeds planted in a hill,
and these are subsequently thinned out, 81
as to leave two or at most three stalks in a
hill. ..f
SOAKING THE SEED.
Mr.. NJ. w. Phillips, one Of the most sue.
cessful cotton growers in Mississippi, recon.
mends that the sesl be thoroughly
soaked with salt and water, or in u brine
made by sleeping stable manure in salt and
water for ten days before using or until fer
mentation has ensued. The seeds are then
dried off with ashes or lime or plaster-the
latter is preferred because it makes the seeds
perfectly white and they can be more care
fully planted. When the seeds are planted
they are lightly covered, that is to say, COW
cred 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.
~ s'Hl AFTER CULTURE.
The after culture Of cotton is much like
that of corn it requires to be kept perfect
ly 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 ara gathered before the upper or
top ones are in bloom. Some days, and in
many instances weeks even, after the first
bclls are gathered 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, aver in Geor.
gia and Alabama, that the topmost bolls are
gathered; they generally are caught by the
frost before ripening.