The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-05-11
Late Planted Cotton.

1ne nOtlOn IL prevalent among farmers
that cotton is plant of continuous
growth from the sime it comes up until
frost kills it. But few years like last
year will dispel all such notions from the
mind of every obseryant farmer. Rev. w.
r. Buchan of Cokesbury planted an acre
OF ground in cotton last year after the dry
weather had set in, and it did not come
up until the first dag of July. Being
we'll worked Immediately, it grew very
fast and by the first day of September
had entirely ceased 10 grow, although
there was plenty Of moisture in the
ground Mt the time. 1t didn't make a
bloom after the first of September. The
acre made S25 pounds of seed cotton al
though there was considerable shedding
from drought. But this will not appear
singular 10 any farmer who has carefully
noticed his cotton after drought in mid
summer. All those stalks that have a
crop of bolls left after the rain COM
mences do not grow any more nor take
the Second growth" While all those
stalks that have shed most or nearly all
of the bolls take the Second growth"
and the stalk from that time is, rs it were,
an entirely new stalk and never natures
the bolls of the first growth, but leavea
them to open as they were when the rail,
set in. And it takes this second growth
as long to make as it does cotton that has
just come up.
Cotton then is not plant Of continu-
GUS growth but like corn, has its period
of growth and itseems to grow better
in middle and latter Summe. than in the
Spring. Late planting of cotton, the
seasons being equal, will make more
than that of early planting. When cot
ton was introduced here October was the
month when picking commenced, al
though planting was done early. Ten
years ago in this neighborhood the first
of September was considered the time to
commence picking. Now we commence
in August. "In 1860 the four counties
of Oconee, Pickens, Greenville and Spar
tanburg scarcely produced thousand
bales of cotton. In 1881 they exported
over $4,000 bales, and have within their
confines as many cotton factories as are
in the remainder of the State" In
proved seed and liberal maDuring have
done this and libeval manuring makes
improved seed.
Last year has demonstrated the fact
that cotl3n can be successfully grown on
land where Fall oats has been cut. This
late planting obviates the hurry and rush
of Spring consequent upon people trying
to plant both cotton and corn early, and
gives ample time for the thorough pre-.
paration and proper planting of corn
ground. Corn can be made on good up.
land any year with proper management
The ground should be planted when
freshly plowed and should never be al.
lowed to get hard, and above all upland
corn must not get grassy.
Late planting of cotton, besides giving
time for early corn, does not open early "a
be beaten into the ground by the heavy
rains. Cotton ought to be surplus crop
aud the experience of the past few years
proves that il can be made. such. giving
as it docs, plenty of time for early corn
and allowing If necessary time TO plant
after Fall oats come off.
A retrospection of the improvement In
cotton culture during the past ten year.
is very pleasant, but the anticipation o.
the great improvement that is destined
TO be made within the next ten or fifteen
years to come is glorious. We feel like
mounting Pegasus when We think of the
possibility OF full corn crops, full oa
crops and full cotton crops for this coun
try-supplemented by cotton factories a
every waterfall 1t will be sight L
make Ceres weep for joy.
If we could only get one person to be
come recoDciled to late planting of cot
ton the labor of this disconnected writing
will be fully repaid.-T. A. g., IN 40
6ev;ie Medium.