The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-07-03
Summer Gotten Culture.

WysoX, Ia, une ii, 1880.
Summer Cotton Culture.
Our summer crops are under full
headway. and need every assistance
that can be given them Sometimes
we manure them by putting fertil
izers in siding burrows and in some
cases it does well, but perhaps the
very best fertilizer now is the plow,
given in repeated doses. 1t actually
manures: that, too, not with one or
two, but with all the elements need
ed by crops: nitrogen, carbonic acid,
| potash, lime, magnesia, all are sup
piled through this talisman. Keep
its golden point, therefore. moving
through the soil. Whether there
be grass or not, whether there be
drought or not, keep it moving.
Every good has its evil, says the
proverb, and it is true of the matter
in hand. Flowing, whilst it does
vast good, may also do harm; it may
cut roots and check a plant when it
will not bear checking, or cut offits
supplies wfen it deeds everything
it can possibly get. Cottot1, for in
stance, may be fruiting rapidly-full
of squares and blooms and young
bolls. Cut its roots freely, and these
quickly drop off; it "sheds badly"
as we say, and takes on, perhaps a
new growth. Or corn has pat forth
tassels and silks and is bending all
its energies to make ears. A new
set of roots have just been developed
to help it feed heavily; put in the
plow deep and break its roots, cut
off its communications military
phrase--and its purpose is thwartsd,
the ear is failure. Whilstwe urge,
therefore, incessant blowing, we. in
sist, quite as much, that judgment
must be exercised about it.
! During the earlier workings Of the
crops, deep plowings could be given
them with impunity, often with pos
tive benefit. Not SO now; shallow
blowing or scarifying should TAX its
place. 1t a crop has been properly
worked up to this time, there W i'll be
no large grass or weeds requiring a
deep-running plow to kill them, and
the soil will be soft and mellow, not
requiring to be ''broken' again du.
ring the growing season. Surface
stirring, therefore, is all that j,
needed.
| The leading object with the cot
ton crop now is to secure weed
Squares and bolls are the ultimate
objects aimed at; but the plant mus
make weed before it can form
squares In the first place then, i
must be thinned out, if at all crowd
ed. Two stalks standing side by side
need exactly the same elements fo
their growth, and if the supply o
, these in the soil is at all scant, botl
, will make slow growth. Give then
all to one, and it sptings forwarc
| rapidly.
We are more and more convinced
every year that cotton is usually lef
! too much crowded Too much plan
, food is wasted in growth of stalks
On average land d stalk, two to thre
$ feet high every two feet in the drill
, is capable of holding every boil th
land can make. In four-feet rows
that distance will give about $40
. stalks to an acre. Twenty bolIs t.
t the stalk would give 900 pound
J. seed cotton, at the low estimate fo
! a bale Now these are not larg
figures, and a stalk of any good va
? riety of cotton, under favorable con
E ditions, will easily reach then
t Thinning out, to produce best re
\ suits, must be done early, SO that a
f the substance of the soil may pas
f into the stalks that are left. Do nc
e be frightened by the bare and scan
n ty look given to the field; it will fl
$ out and be crowded enough BY. til
v end of the season. ert j..
Cotton. should also be plowed o.
r ten at this stage. of growth, not les
e than once in two weeks. AS alread
n pointed out, these blowing -shoul
; be shallow, not exceeding an inc
! in depth. Choice can be made b,
It tween harrow, cultivator, sweeI
% or scrape. The last is becomin
IS most popular in this section Of coul
1t try. 1t is made of piece of ste
about i inches wide and IS to
re inches long, shdrpened at one ed,
and ends curved backwards. Bo
= ed behind short scooter on an or
IN mary shovel stock It does work mu
n like sweep, and is decided
al cheaper than it. BY using a she
hit scooter or, if long, having it set