The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1863-05-09

deal less than bnsheI 10 the acre. A good
cotton crop, like hemp, depends very much
upon first uniform and perfect stand.
.r.....-..,s ,..s. COVERING. sW MI
There ale several methods. To those not
having a harrow made for the purpose. the
following is the cheapest: Take a board from
two feet to thirty inches long, eight wide and
one thick, and beyel the lower and front
edge sharp, and also the ends on the back
side. Bore hole in the center, one inch
from the upper edge, so that a bolt can be
put through, and screw it to the foot of a
common plow stock, having the lower edge
of the board notched in the center, about
two inches deep, and eight long, of an clip
teal shape, SO that it will straddle the fur,
rSy containing the seed. Then, with Your
light horse, run this board over the ridge.
Thenotch will cause the DIRT to fall into the
furrow, leaving slight elevation over the
seed, which prevents the water from stand
ing about it, and if the board is properly
beveled all the clods ard other Instructions
will be shaffled off into the deep furrow be-
tween the ridges, thus leaving them smooth
and in good condition for cultivating the
young and tender plant when it comes up.
This will take place when the ground is in
good order (Which should be the case) in
from six to ten days. After it is up con
tinuously from one end of the row to the
other, with its first TWO leaves fully expand
ed, you take the same small pillow, with
which you opened the ridge, and run around
on each side of the cotton, as close as pos
slble SO as not to cover too much of it
and To prevent this shingle or thin board
should be fastened on the stock, to prevent
the dirt from falling on the cotton.
This enables the heat Of the sun to pen
citrate near the roots of the young plant
You then chop through it with hoe leav-
ing four or five stalks every foot. This hoe
ing and the rain fills up, partially, the small
burrows. Then you pillow around it again,
leaving off the board, throwing some dirt
around the plants; after which go over it
again with the hoe, leaving one or two of
the largest stalks to the foot, according
to the quality of the soil. While most of
this second thinning should be done with
the fingers, it is we'll to carry the hoe along
to cut out any weeds that may spring up
about the cotton. As to the proper thick
ness, it IS matter of experiment with US ALL
The stalks ought to meet ID every direction
when fully grown When il is reduced to a
proper stand, the whole space between the
rows should be plowed out, or sooner, If
the weeds are troublesome. And it is then
plowed once or twice more, as you would
corn-the last not being too deep nor too
close to the cotton. These successive plow-
ings should be ten days or two weeks apart,
as the weather and weeds seem to demand.
In conclusion. l hope the farmers will
nor be discouraged with this array of labor
connected with the culture Of cotton, as
am satisfied that We, as a class, are not ex-
empted from that curse, which, if it were
necessary, ought 20 apply to all mankind,
to wit: as to the ''thorns aud thIstles," aud
sin the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat
bread" JOSIAH MILLER,
President of Cotton Climb