The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-04-21
THE, Cultivation Of Cotton.


than any other writer forthe agricultural press
of to-day. His fame as practical agricultu-
.rist extends far and wide. Many of our read
ers will be pleased to learn that Mr.. DICKSON
has written q, book upon his favorite theme,
which will shortly be issued from the press.
For the benefit of cotton planters We give the
following extract from advance sheets of this
work, and leave the reader to judge whether or
not It's plain, practical advice should be follow
ed
Lay of the rows four feet; run the second
Si1rroW seven or eight inches deep; deposit the
fertilizers intended to be used either with the
hand or fertilizer sower, at the rate of four hum
,dred pounds or upwards to the acre. With q
long scooter plough run on each side of that
f1rrow, and cover it up Run the same plough
in those burrows second time, or the subsoil
plough, if preferred. Use good turn plough,
and run on the side of each of those scooter
burrows in each of those turning furrows, or q
subsoil. Split out the middles with large
shovel, as deep as the horse will pull it. That
finishes the bed.
When ready to plant, open with small, short
bull-tongue Sow the seed with the hand or
cotton seed sower-the cotton seed sower pre-
finishes the whole operation at once.
The earlier cotton is planted the lighter it
must be covered.
Cotton may be planted from the first of April
till the 18th of May. From the 10th to the
25th of April consider the best time. You
may plant, with high manuring as late as the
LIST of June. By extending your planting over
the longest periods you can raise the largest
crops, the bulk being put, In about che 10th to
the 2Oth of April.
E In the first working of the cotton, side with a
twenty-five inch sweep, with the right wing
tolera6ly flat, going very close to the plan, not
exceeding half inch depth in the ploughing.
Itmay be hoed by scraping with a sharp No. 2
Scoyen hoe any time after ploughing: Leave
two OF three stalks in hill, the width of the
hoe being the space that the stalks should be
APART. Some advantage is gained by keeping
as near the middle as possible. You will be
able to see what grass the plough left. The
shaving of the grass with the hoe will act as a
second working of crop. 1t will always be
safe, if you can, to return to the cotton once in
three weeks.
Side shallow, and close again.the second time.
Occasionally, to keep the surface very level,
You may run the plough in the middle of the
row. BY leaving the proper periods between
the ploughing, you may carry the point about
the 1st to the 10th of August which is very
good time to cease working cotton.
Cotton may be made with two to three plough
ings. -Four sidings and two middle splittings
are ALI thatit ever wants under the most unfa-
;yurabie circumstances. The greatest amount
of work the cotton requires is only ten burrows
to the row for all cultivation. The whole
ploughing occupies just one and a fourth days
work per acre, under favorable circumstances;
and it may be completed with three-fourth days
work per acre. 1t is essential that each of those
ploughings should be done very shallow and
close, never stopping for dry weather. If the
ground stays wet, you may stop a few hours and
hoe. The hoeing and ploughing during the
cultivation of the crop closes up the land suth-
ciently to cause the fruit to set finely. At the
beginning of the planting it was sufficiently po-
rous for the roots to penetrate IN every direc-
ton, and to any desired depth. The cotton
plant is like the cultivated plum or cherry, re-
qniring the land to be pretty close around the
roots to set its fruit well, and prevent drowning
in excessive rains. To cause early maturity
the rows of the cotton should be one way four
feet apart, and there should be from two to
three stalks in hill, at the distance of every
nine inches. When the cotton fruit commences
to bloom, each stalk will bloom and take on
jnst as many bOlls as if there were only three
stalks to the yard. This system, stated above,
will insure eight. stalks to the yard, if hoed
with care, which is one hundred and sixty-six
per cent more stalks than if one stalk is left
for every twelve inches. By placing the stalks
thick in the drill, and wide apart, the land is
less shaded and gets more light and sun. If
you wish to shade with a given number of
plants, the more equally the land is divided the
more completely it is shaded.
Prepared, man,lred, planted and cultivated,
II fod fhora Y1a1 hoQ hao
any year, to prevent you from having a good
average crop. This being the dryest year have
ever known, has satisfied me of this fact, for I
lave good average crop. If you pursue the
above plan, and get three favorable weeks from
the goth Of July, you will get good average
crop. Thin planting, as general thing, latens
the crop. If seasons have been regular, and
= the above directions have been carried out, the
plant will be completely checked by the 2Oth
of August, and need no topping Topping is
advantageous where We find the bolls have not
come on soon enough, and if topped, should be
done from the 5th to the 10th Of August. In
very rich land the distance between the rows
may be from four to six feet; probably some of
the Mississippi bottoms may want eight feet.
N0land is so poor that the rows of cotton
should be nearer than four feet. If you have
not land enaagh to plant as many rows IS you
wish, purchase more A four foot row will
: make more than three foot row; it is just as
easy cultivated, if the season is favorable, and
more easy if they are NOT.
Picking should commence as early as the
cotton commences opening, and the cotton
should always be summed before the seed ma
lures or hardens. If the crop appears to be
large, it will have to be picked by the hands.
Hurry them up admit little trash to increase
the quantity picked. The falling off in price
$ by picking little trash is not so disastrous as
to let the cotton stay and waste, and turn back
for the sake Of picking it clean.
To raise cotton for seed, the best boiling
plants should be selected that are on the place.
Manure itwell, and cultivate as directed above.
Plant in it the most select seed on hand, and
IL.