The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-02-25

"A New systen Of Cettsa Culture
: Tile present problem Or the cotton
Farmers Is to fAcreasc pr0ddcfi0n Of
small areas, end deviSe fhas 1ystenl
which is best adopted to white hbon
The desire Of profit 10 suzleieht stim-
ulas to >chievelth first Of these OBJ
jects. The constant agitation and dis
tuTbance, produced by political excite
ments and uncertainties impose the
consideration of the last and at pres
ent absorbing object, These make up
the sum of the practical farmers in
quiries-to reduce the area Of cultiva-
ton and to increase the amount and
profits of production under such o
system of skilled labor Is will not be
disturbed by political bearings. Very
recently the public have been. aston
ished. by the results of the 81 g.
tenn pursued by Mr.. James Bancroft,
of Athens, Clark county, Ga. Mr..
Bancroft is, we believe, q native of
Charleston. A merchant by profess
sion he brings nothing to his new call
ing but habits of early training, Of
method. Of decision and close obser-
vation, keeping constantly in view
the end desired, and persisting tinre-
mittingJy IL that which wonld be like
~ to contribute to that end. MIR. Ban
crofts soil is certainly not what is
usually styled as rich, or fertile, or
free, or productive, i'm the South.
There are thousands of acres in the
State just such as he possesses that
have lain idle and uncultivated simply
because it was believed it wcuid not
pay, particularly since labor enters so
directly into the cost of production
and has been rendered so uncertain
and expensive. Mr.. Bancroft's sys-
tenn, we understand, is simply to con-
vert the soil into 'tiltli" by deep and
repeated plowings with the turn pillow
and supply it with such fertilizers as
by experiment he has found best suit
ed to the cotton plant to feed upon
during its growth and while matur-
ing. The thoroughness of preparation
of the soil frees him from large part
of the usual continuous labor during
the heat of summer, by pulverizing it
at those seasons which will best de-
stroy interfering growth. His sum-
mer's work is light. confined almost
entirely to surface stirring. We learn
that. he has arrived at the conclusion
that Middle Georgia lands can be
made to produce five bales per acre,
and yield handsome profit upon the
capital used.
Again we have before US circu-
lar from Philip P0ullain, late of
Greensboro, Ca, now of Baltimore,
covering schedule referred to in pa
tent granted in May last, for certain
improved terminating and transplant
ing cup and improvements in the cul-
tivation of cotton and other plants.
The improve ed cup is the frustrum ola
cone, having taper sides, and both
ends open. 1t is simply the ordinary
earthern flower-pot, with both ends
open, and invcrtcd-the large opening
being the base and the smaller the
top. The larger opening being low
est permits the cup in transplating to
be drawn up over the plant without
disturbing or rupturing the roots of
the plant by the adhesion Of soil to
the sides or walls of the pot, and dis
penses with the use of devices and
transplanting tools ordinarily en-
ployed by gardeners. MIR. Poullain
proposes this system: F
l. To secure full and early bottom
crop, acknowledged>by farmers to be
that which yields the greatest quanti-
ty and the first quality of cotton.
9. To economist the use Of fertili-
zers, by SO placing the compost and
enriched soil within the reach of the
plant, as demanded by its nature.
3. TO economist labor, by directing
it to the particular point maintaining
the plant, and combining its chief de-
mands to preparation in winter and
early spring, and the picking season.
A. To increase production by pro-
longing, at least for one month, the
season for blooming and maturing the
fruit CT pod.
These objects are to be attained by
the following method: A pit, of the
style and character of the gardeners
pit "a cabbage plant hot bed,) is made
of dimensions suited to the extent of
f.rming operations, TO be so al arranged
that its contents will be protected
from frost by glass or canvass rollers,
or even by pine-tops; the better the
protection the earlier operations may
be commenced and the more secure
the results. A rough shelter near by
is erected for covering the compost
and protecting the hands while filling
the cups with compost and planting
the seed. In inclement weather force
is employed under shelter in filling
ard planting. Two seeds are placed
in each cup, and two cups are planted
upon a board or shallow trough or
tray, to be conveyed to the pit at con-
venience. In favorable weather the
force is TO be employed as follows :
One set of hands to lay off the land in
burrows, eight feet apart, and check it
at the same distance. Another set
trenches at the check, or intersection,
two feet deep, and this is done by the
spade. or by an enlarged post auger.
The third set, with carts or barrows,
fill the holes with compost mixture
and surface soil. The excavated soil
does not foster grass or weeds, and is
TO be spread around the outer surface
of the excavation or hole. The mid
dies are to be plowed at leisure. The
advanced plants, so soon as all danger
from frost is over, are to be carried to
the field in carts or barrOws, Oil the
boards or shallow trays upon which
they have been first placed, and their
transfer to the intersections is made
easy by the shape of the transpIantins
cup. .,-t- .f......-..- .
Mr.. POulIain claims that the sayings
of the cotton seed to DC used i'll ma
nuring, and the saving of labor in
thinning to stand, will pay for the
cost of a transplanting cup many
times over, while the crop will be in
sured against drought.
81 Now, whatever may be the practi
cal results OF these experiments and
present theories, public ingenuity will
devise a system of cotton culture
adapted 10 the demands of white la
Dor and to the habits and usages and
accustomed modes of labor of the
foreign skilled emigrant.
We add, in conclusion, that it is a
remarkable coincidence that both MI.
Bancroft and Mr.. Poullain have arriv-
ed at exactly the same conclusion UNI
der diff erent systems of culture-that