The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1881-02-23
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~ 1926
Raising Cotton at a Profit.

Having promised your readers my
plan OF cultivaiing cotton, now pro
coed to give it, and, as my plan OF
preparing the land is the same AZ
that of agricultural writers generally
l will confine myself to the particu
lars wherein I differ from others. AS
several have asked for the proper
depth of applying fertilizers, l will
say that l always open a deep fur
row, at least six inches, tor the tertll.
izers, and then bed on 1T with good
turnplow. Have never experlmented
to ascertain which was the proper
depth, but | am inclined to the opin'
ion that it is not very material
whether it is put two OF six inches
deep. In regard to the proper
amount per acre, always use 2oo
pounds on my general crop; have
never tried smaller quantities. Sew
eral have asked: (which is the best
guano ?" This, of course, / cannot
answer, but can say that w hann's
Raw Bone Superphosphate IS the
best that am acquainted with. AS
a general rule, / think 1t not best TO
plant cotton till the weather is warm
enough to make it come up, and grow
off at once, which, in this climate, is
from the 25th OF April to the 10th OF
May.
l am particular TO have the burrows
in which | plant of uniform depth,
with no loose dirt in them, so that
the seed will come iii contact with
the unbroken earth and III covering
the seed am very particular TO OBJ
serve the same depth all Of which
Iregard as essential to getting good
stand with the smallest possible
amount of seed, which is a matter OF
great Importance with me. l am in
favor OF wide rows, much wider than
usual-tour to six feet wlde-but
have never tried narrow rows, and
do not think anything but hard work
is gained by them. Ii rows are tour
feet wide, with one stalk every
twelve inches, and each stalk pro
duces ten good bolls, you will get
1000 pounds OF seed cotton per acre.
l go in for as few rows and as few
stalks as possible, in order to get a
full crop. think it best to have
rows SO wide that the limbs will not
meet in the middle of rows, tor two
reasonable roots require more dis
lance than the stalk, and it saves
labor in the cultivation and harvest.
ing the crop.
AS soon as the cotton is sufficiently
advanced to show which stalks take
the lead, the stalks intended for the
stand should be freed from their
neighbors and grass without delay
Preparatory to this work, l side the
cotton with good scraper, the right
hand corner OF which cuts one inch
deep, and the point next to cotton
merely shaves the grass off without
entering the ground. BY this opera
ton the entire middle is cleaned anc
the cotton is left in the best possible
condition for rapid growth and being
thinned to stand.
If it Is thinned as early as above
suggested, stalks should be lett be
tween those intended Tor the stan'
until danger from cut-worm and dry
ing out has ceased For this pur
pose have invented hoe which
Intend trying on my next crop
which is SIMPLY two narrow hoes OF
same stock, with an adjustable spac
between them. l keep my hoe
sharp by grinding as often as neces
sary, usually twice a day, and whel
the corners get a little worn, l TAX
them to my shop and trim them til
the corners are perfect. All no
work is done with the least possibl
disturbance to the soil. l scrupu
lousy avoid breaking the soil abou
the plant throughout the season, ant
never suffer an implement OF an
kind TO 90 more than one inch deel
in any part OF the row, under an
circumstances. l always clean u ROY
at one round if it is not over FIVE Zee
wide.
| regard it as matter OF great i'll
portance to leave the best stalk ic
the stand, and also to attend to it q
early as possible. l also attach gres
Importance using as few seeds as pc
slble to secure stand. A halt buSh'
per acre is the maximum with me, bl
it is very rare that use that muc
| always use barrel roller tor pr
pairing the seed and drill or pIant'
for sowing the seed, and always g
good stand. planted my Gre
this year with a little over tnlrd !
a bushel per acre. When cote
comes up crowded it is much injure