The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1863-03-14
FARMERS DEPARTMENT.
The Culture of Cotton.

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The Culture of Cotton.
SELECTION OF THE GROUND.
We by all means advise those having the
choice of locations, 10 select a field sloping
to the south, so as to give the plants all the
benefit of the sun, possible. Cotton is en-
phatically sun plant, and requires all the
power of the sun in this climate 10 bring it
to maturity and to ripen the bolls early
enough to give as many piekings as posi-
bic. When a southern exposure cannot be
had, a southeastern or southwestern one
should be chosen, but by all means avoid a
northern slope.
SELECTION OF SOIL.
A light, mellow, rich soil is preferable to
all others. Avoid heavy, wet. clayey sell
If the soil is inclined to be wet, it should be
plowed into lands or back burrows Of about
Ieightsen feet each, with an open dead
furrow between the lands, always kept open
to carry off all excess of moisture These
lands can be plowed two or three times, if
necessary, throwing each time the soil to-
wards the ridge or center of the land, and
thus preventing any possibility Of the seed
or plants being injured by an excess of wa
ter. An excellent plan, also, is TO throw
two burrows together for the row, and on
this ridge, after being smoothed down a lit
tie, plant the seed
PREPARATION OF THE s5IL.
There Is no farm crop which requires a
better preparation Of the soil It should be
in the finest possible filth. Ifdeeply plowed,
the better. A subs soil pillow, following the
common pillow, opening and loosening the
sub-soil, is highly advantageous to cotton,
as it is to all other farms crops The soil
should not be worked a. all when wet. Two
or three plowings, when dry, and double
that number of borrowings, so as to make
fine, deep, mellow, welI-pulverized bed
for the roots of the plant, would not be labor
thrown away, but well rewarded Undoubt-
eddy fall blowing would be highly beneficial,
! by turning up the sub-soil, and allowing
the frost and atmosphere TO thoroughly pull
verize all the particles thus exposed. The
soil should be finely and deeply narrowed
for the reception of the seed Culivators
must not expect fine crop and large
! yield, if they merely turn over a few inches
Of soil, and leave that in large clods and
plant the seed while the land is in this con
dition. If field roller is to De had, i'll
should be used just before marking out
the ground, crushing all the Jumps and
clods, and pressing the soil smoothly and
evenly down.
KIND OF SEED
The upland cotton is the only kind that
will succeed here, and the farther North that
can be obtained the better. We presume
that from Tennessee will be the best that
can be bad
DISTANCE AND MODE OF PLANTING.
The plants should stand in rows, laid off
by common corn marker, or a very small,
shallow running pillow, from four to five
feet apart, depending upon the strength of
the soil, unless the ground is thrown in
ridges as before mentioned. The seed is
generally thickly dropped in drills so as to
be sure of a good stand. and all unnecessary
plants, when a few inches high, are de- !
stroyed by the hoe. 1t is advisable, where
it can be done, to have the rows run north !
and south, so as to obtain greater benefit |
from the sun. If the seed stands in tepid
water for "a or 48 hours before planting, it
will cause them to terminate sooner and |
more certainly. The seed should be COW
cred to the depth of u inches with fine soil
but no more
TINE OF SEEDING.
The seed should not be planted till all |
danger of frost is over-about the time chat
beans are generally planted. The plant is
tender, and visit from Jack Frost will be /
a fatal affair. From the first to the tenth of |
May is the proper time for planting the
seed in this latitude.
CULTIVATION.
When the third and fourth leaves begin /
to appear, il is time to commence working
among the plants. Ii the ground is light /
had, let him run with one horse pillow |
and mellow, and good plowman is to be
close TO the row, throwing the furrow from
the plants to the center. The hoe must now
follow the plow, cutting out the weeds and
grass from the plants. II the plants come
up thickly, they can be reduced somewhat
at this hoeing, though it is safer to wait
Hll the next time the plow passes over the
field. In ten days or two weeks from the
first blowing, let the plowman turn the fur
row from the center of the row to the plants,
throwing little earth among them, if the
ground Is fine enough to cause no injury to
them.
1t must be borne in mind that the young
plant is exceedingly tender and delicate; and
the smallest bruise or injury from clods, the
hoe, or pillow, will destroy them. The hoe
should follow them, reducing the plants to
two or three, where one is to stand, cutting
out the weeds and grass, or burying them
where this is not done. By this means they
are smothered and destroyed. If the soil is
not mellow, the plow should be kept ou-,
and the work be down with the horse culti
tiyator. After the second blowing, the
horse cultivator and the hoe should do the +
balance of the work. The weeds aud grass
should be kept out, the ground should be
kent well pulyerized, and should especially