Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-04-30

themselves of the benefit of all the soil
which the pillow can break. The caring
season Of corn, too, is period of fire.
quent drouths. Deep and thorough
blowing, in the preparation Of the land,
is the best preventive against drouths.
The time of blowing should be deter
mined by the condition Of the soil. The
winter frosts are of great service in stiff
lands These lands should, if possible,
be ploughed in the fall or early winter.
All gross lands or lands with much veg
etable matter growingupon them, should
be plowed in the autumn, so as TO allow
the vegetable matter, which is turned
under, to decay and become food for
plants. Bottom and all loose soils con-
tanning much organic matter, need not
be broken until near the time for plant
ing The weed and grass seeds which
have sprouted will be killed, and the corn
have an opportunity to get in advance of
the weeds. Soils cannot be made too
mellow for corn, nor be kept too mellow
daring its growth.
All lands for cotton ought before the
crop is planted, to be broken deep, close
and soft; and this to be done long
enough before planting to allow the rains
gently to settle them. 1t is the most
common, and perhaps the best plan, to
prepare all lands intended for cotton in
beds made by the turning-plow; and Hat
and wet lands, sometimes an additional
elevation ought to be given by drawing up
the beds with hoe
We advise the use of a small and very
narrow opener This should be run in
The center of the bed, opening straight
furrow Of uniform size and depth. In
this the seed should be strewed by care
full hand, scattering them uniformly
along the furrow, and just thick enough
to secure a good stand the whole length
of the row. These should be covered
with an iron roller or good block, three
or four inches thick, about twenty inches
broad, and thirty inches long beveled ON
the lower edge, and notched in the mid
die, so as to straddle the row. This
wooden coverer, when drawn over the
row, covers the seed nicely, leaving
slight elevation to prevent the settling of
water and dresses the whole surface of
the bed neatly for the space of twenty
inches.
The hoes have much to do in the cul-
ture of this crop and planters must be
to devote pretty much all Their
time to it. 1t is difficult in work like
this to say how often, and in what man
ner, this crop should always be worked
when the character of the seasons, and |
the difference in the land, must have
so much to do in settling
this question. As a general rule, keep |
the earth loose and well stirred; the
early workings to be deep and close, and
as the crop comes on, and the fruit be-
gins to appear, let these workings be less
close and shallower, keeping the soil soft |
and clean. 1t is of great Importance to
work this crop late, and it should not
cease until the branches lock, or the cot
ton begins to open. 1t is not necessary |
to pile the earth in large quantities about
the roots of cotton, but the tendency of
all the workings, to push some earth
under, and up to the plants. The late
should be very shallow, so as
not to break the roots of the plant
The work ia neatly bound and printed;
and the fact that it was all executed in
Memphis ought to induce every one to
purchase a copy, if it were for nothing
more than the encouragement of home