Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1869-03-19
Best Manner of Keeping and mprov'
ing Cotton Seed.
SPARTA, Feb. 10th, 1860.

SPARTA, Feb. 10Th, 1860.
Editors Southern CuliiUator:-I ent
into the business of selling cotton seed un
wildngl y%-but it has paid me very well,
and will pay purchasers better, if they
will a,ansge them properly. 1 WILL give
my views as to The best manner Of keep
ing them pure and improving them
There is belt Of land running through.
Georgia and other cotton States, that I
consider the home of the cotton plant
possibly the bottoms in the West may be
better adapted t" it The Southern com.
mences in Georgia above Augusta, and
ends just above Columbus, embracing the
Southern granitic regiou-mulalto. pine
and oak and hickory lands, aud extending
about one degree North. l prefer the
Southern part Of this belt. The North
end of my farm is included in the South.
ern part have sold no seed made on
the Southern part of my iarm-it being
too sandy to keep the seed up t" the de.
sired standard. Planters living South Of
this line, would do we'll to obtain seed
from this region once in three or four
years. If that trade should spring up,
seed could be delivered, sacked, to the
nearest depot, at SO TO 60 cents per bu.hel.
South OF this belt, the cotton plant is in.
ol fN
little fruit. In it. with proper preparation.
rotation, manure and rest, you can make
the cotton plant just what you please as
gentlemen from all parts OF Georgia can
testify, who have seen my cr"p-mukinc
two bales per acre on cotton from 90 to
% inches high.
To improve the cotton plant, you should
select seed every year, immediately after
the first picking. up 10 the middle OF o.
tobsr, selecting Gu the case of Dickson
seed) from stalks that send out one or
more suckers near the ground, sometimes
called arms. These arms need not be
looked for on poor. Second, from those
that send out limbs thick with three to
six tolls. from half incl, to one and q
half inches apart on the limbs. II you do
not keep your land we'll charged with
humus, the cotton limbs will be too short
manure we'll plow deep, cultivate with
the sweep very shallow-scrape with the
hoe instead of digging or chopping-if
you cutthe cotton roots, you make stalks
instead Of bolls. On all farms, there are
some acres that produce cotton better than
others. Seed for planting, should always
be selected from these spots.
Twill here answer sons of the thou.
sand questions asked me by ns many hun.
dleds OF psrsons--receiving from one TO
two huodred letters per week. cannot
answer any of them. II they would only
take the Southvrn Culirator, they
would be in possession Of all the answers
they wish. Mvssrs. Editors, if you wonld
uss the'same amount Of energy in extern
dingthe circulation Of your as you do 10
Ceiling 1t up, you might get from fifty to
one hundred thousand subscribers. The
present is . most favorable time 10 do So
Go to. work i'll that direction. Many
planters have visited me the Last year, and
they uere astonished that my cotton, plan.
ted the 10th Of Nay, was more forward
than theirs, planted the 20'h of April. ]
often told them, 10 a joking way, thai
they were root custers; they often confess
ed,hsy put the turning pIow-to the cotton
the frat plowing, them then the shove
plOw the balance OF the season, getting nc
bols- until after the cotton :was laid By. .:
To those who wish,t to know my, distance
inplausing. &C., let me Say, I'doFuot ap
prove Of, hill pfanlins. I would DOT hav.
q row nearer than 1 feet. uss q No. {
soovsll hoe--ieave 2 to 3 stalks "a ever,
hill--dstsncs between hills the width O
/: the hoe. There are many ssasons far this.
| the best -ons'is; 1t makes II moro forward
10 those, who; wishe - know my opinion
abaat the various inannrss,f T refer shsa
4 to RhatsI hsys. ottsn' sasd sn stlis South
ttfSn Caltipator. Twill merely ,nsn,iol
4 tbst Z fcnnsidst anmopia DIS 7 Ist--solati
bone ths.ed Asaas md platssr n gse'
pssssnsisspE suskin cotton, bosidss pons.
ssg oshefgoods psopsrsies.s; j. r.,,ssss s. 4,
= rmea who sish o'Heas from. sisnHs
4 ssksi thss cstheF1s Gsltisatea. Ths;.pe,
I Saappt coads .o time WITH stypsa aad ..th
q satsa.e psesss III nnsr bsslallsxsd sto Ssosl
! sbs ss sana 90 I tiis pishiss ishS coo,
gtksood eif any: 4 casuptsdo isssRh9th
! sasus sslobs q nszs hSSs 9tis III ~
Il al ssssana ~ V Vsry r6ssl,
ts s.'..:s = -s sauxYIb Do