The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1880-02-21
COTTON CULTURE.

The following article on the culture
of cotton, by an al. lie correspondent OF
the New Orleans Times, is the best we
have seen ON the subject, and should
be read carefully by our cotton farm
ers. Instead Of clover, it would be
better for our farmers to use the speck-
led pea-which recuperates worn out
soils more rapidly than even clover.
Two or three crops Of luXuriant pea
vines can be grown annually, while 1t
takes some time to get clover estab-
lished. Manure more, cultivate bet
ter, and plant less acreage, is the
secret If cotton making:
According to the United States ag-
ricultural report of 1876, it took on an
average 2-63 acres to make one bale
of cotton. Instances are known of
three bales being made per acre,
which shows what may be done un-
der proper system of cultivation and
feeding the plant.
The price above the cost averaged
go per bale, leaving profit of only
about 9l1 800, 900 to the cultHyator, and
this in a good season. If the cotton
SGCbl was lllSUCtlu vi ~ lilt'Sh
of it allowed to be wasted or used as
manure, it would be of equal value for
feeding purposes alone, to the potato
crop of the United States, which was
SS3 1861, 100, and one-quarter the value
of the hay crop.
Compared with hay at $40 per ton,
the feeding values are, corn, Sl7 ~,
cotton seed, S26 20; cotton seed cake,
$500; cotton seed cake decorticated,
$1,000; cotton seed hulled, $40. But
feeding cotton seed as it comes from
the gin is injurious, and causes the
death of animals fed upon it to any
extent. On account of expense of
transportation, the seed brings but
trife of its value when sent to market
and much of it is used to manure the
crop, which is wastful, as if fed to
stock could be kept-the more stock
could be kept-the more stock, more
manure, more crops.
For feeding purposes the seed should
be hulled they should not be fed
alone, but in connection with other
food, the hulIs applied to the land for
manure. In this way the portion of
the crop now in Il great measure vast
ed is made valuable. The different
substances necessary to the growth OF
cotton, or the different articles of food,
are all of equal value-that is to say,
if one out of the whole number be alb
sent, the plant will not thrive, and
they must be given in sufficient guam
tity and available form to act tog- thcr
within the time Of the full develop
ment of the plant.
The absence or the deficiency, or the
want of available form in one necessa-
~ constituent is Indispensable, but
fertility is communicated if that one
substance be added in due quantity
and available form. To grow 1000
pounds cotton Qint), with seed and
stalk in proportion, requires Al pounds
potash, 2pounds soday17 pounds mag
nesia, 10 pounds lime, Al pounds phos-
plate and 5 pounds sulphuric acid.
With proper cultivation and the re-
quired amount ofconstituentss supplied,
or existing in the soil in available from,
the yield of the crop can be closely
estimated In order to have the land
clean and free from grass and weeds,
SOW clover. The first year it should
be cut for fodder; the second year cut
it once, then allow it to seed, which
save for future use; and there is left i'll
the soil to the depth Of ten feet $3.50
pounds clover roots, containing II
bounds potash, Is pounds soda, 46
pounds magnesia, 246 pounds lime, II
pounds phosphoric acid, n pounds
sulphuric acid, available for crop
which, when plowed, leaves the land
clean, light, rctentive Of moisture, and |
easily titled, with available constitu-
EMS in the clover roots, and soil |
enough to probably produce 1000
pounds lint per acre, and the necessity |
of purchasing fertilizers, and the cost
Of applying them is saved and the
farm made as it should be-self sup
porting-but can only be so by a jul
dicOHs rotation of crops. If this is
not DONE fertilizers, which are much :
more costly, must be supplied. If the
land is not now in condition to grow
clover, it can be made so at much less
expense than any other crop. Rye is
also a good crop to precede cotton, and
there is left in an acre 3 400 pounds
roots and ,tubble, containing pounds
potash, 40 pounds soda, II pounds
SO pounds lime, "A pounds
acid, II pounds sulphuric
acid, which would produce 800 pounds
cotton ,lint) per acre in rotation, with
out any other fertilization.
ANDREW WARD.
Bridgewater, Mass. f..
Asparagus Culture.