Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-10-19
ARKANSAS.
Prospects Of the Cotton CrOP-some
Facts and specuIatiOns by q Praeti-

Prospects of the Cotton CrOp-Some
Facts and specuIatiOns by q Praeti-
: cal Planter. rT
| To the Editors Of the Union and Americans:
HEcKAroo, ARK, Sept. IL, 1S71.-When
l wrote some time since l was somewhat
hesitating in opinion between the last years
crop and the prospect of the present, but
am now settled in the opinion that the pre-
sent crop was being greatly over-rated.
The improvement in the crop the last two
growing months was so great il produced
many speculations as to its extent, and
many thought it would equal per acre the
crop of last year, but alarge crop very much
depends on the early growth to give it size
early In the season, which was prevented
last spring by the excessive and continued
rains. After the spring rains ceased deep
cultivation had to be resorted to in order to
kill the grass, which gave late bold growth,
consequently that late growth has failed to
produce heavy yield.
In all the old sandy lands the growth is
becoming perceptibly smaller than when
| the land was fresh and loose.
We have had to bring up the rows
closer, and give it deeper cultivation, thereby
obtaining near the same yield as when the
land was fresh. All of our lands require a
deeper cultivation than formerly. As they
become old the heavy spring rains bake it,
and if not well plowed, we have no loose
soil for the summer cultivation. Very much
depends on a good cultivation in early
spring to give size to the plant. Shallow
cultivators have to be abandoned to a great
extent. The number of acres we now cul-
tivate to the hand is much smaller than in
former days, andI have laid aside many
tools formerly used for expedition. l
never knew failure in the cotton crop in
this country in thirty years previous to the
late war. In 1861 the hands commenced
under new auspices, and were led off by
| outside and new influences to the neglect
of their engagements, and consequently
produced two disastrous years. The cater
pillars have made their appearance, but it is
too late for them to do any damage. In the
| thick, heavy cotton it would be an advantage
to strip the leaves so that thesun could mature
it, but the caterpillar in this country are gen.
orally late making their appearance, and do
but little damage. The blooms after the
10th of September will not mature unless
the frost is postponed very late. About the
oath or 18th of October is the average time
of our first frost, and if the mercury should
fall to 80 degrees it will freeze most of the
unmatured bolls which never open; but if it
is only light frost, and passes over that
period without freeze, many unmatured
boils will make cotton. The second spell
for frost is usually thrown off for two or
three weeks. Many persons judge of the
crop by the growth of the weed, and to a
certain extent large stocks will produce more
fruit, but this large stock is often of late
growth, and so thick that the sun cannot
penetrate it, TO fully mature in time. Much
depends on the quantity Of bolls, which are
more numerous and the stalk better
branched some seasons than others.
AS to the insects, never have any fear of
them on the alluvial lands of the Arkansas
river bottoms, and have thought for many
years past that the saline quality of the soil
was partly the cause. The peculiar adapta-
ton of the soil for the growth of cotton,
and their approaching the northern region
of the cotton latitude, makes it cold enough
in winter TO destroy many insects, and
render it the most desirable and certain
cotton region in the South. The boil worm
has never troubled uS-the cut worm in
spring is almost entirely eXtinguished, and
the caterpillar never appears in time to in
Jure the crop. Those plantations where the
stock is burned in early spring are less
liable to be infested by insects than when
the stock is bent down and plowed in. In
sects Of many descriptions deposit their
eggs in the pith of stalks and weeds, and
when burned they are destroyed and less
numerous. Our present mode of cultiva-
ton with the labor we have to contend
with is by no means thorough, and with
that incomplete system we are consequently
subjected to greater expense in keeping
up plantation.
1t would seem that the wages paid on the
share system of planting would be strong
incentive to the laborer, but, to a great ex-
tent, it has failed to have that effect.
If the number of acres in cultivation this
year be as much less than 1870, as is repre-
sented by the statistical writers and reports,
with less yield to the acre, (about which
there can be no dOUbt) together with the
destruction of the present crop by the boil
worm in the southern region of the cotton
States, it viii evidently bring down the crop
far below that of 1870.
Under those facts, would not be sur
prised if it were million and half bales
less. COTTON PLANTER.