The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-05-14
Topping Cotton,

A writer in the Winnsboro IS. c. NelUs
and Herald says: As 1 have tested in diff
ferent years the topping of cotton to in
crease the yield, l will give the result of my
experience from close observation. 1t great
ly depends on the growing of the cotton,
development of fruit near the top, the
thickness Of stalks in drill at the time,
whether the yield Of crop will be increased
or not. When indicated have generally
topped from the 5th to the 10th of August.
l recollect when in conversation with my
brother on the subject, he stated that be-
fore he commenced to farm Mr.. William
klncaid, grandfather of my friend, Mr..
Thomas Anderson, who was a large land
owner and planter, told him that he had
tested the topping of cotton at different
oates to ascertain the time the crop would
be mostly benefited by it, if at all. He Sc
Iected IN field four rows adjoining each
other and topped the first on the Goth of
July, the second on the LIST of August, the
third on the 10th and the fourth he left UNI
topped. He had each row carefully picked
and the first made the largest yield, the
second next, the third less and the fourth
mot topped less than any.
In the year 1858 we had no rain of conse-
quence in what is now called Jenkinsville
township from the night of the 10th of
april until the 25th of july and not a
season until the 9th Ia period of over three
months and longer than in 1S45), and the
cotton, not over few inches high, had to
grow and make shapes, to bloom and de-
I ,,,,n
mat as the land could be plowed and the
painting of cotton finished, a stand was Sc
cured and could be worked from having
LIeSnly made beds, though at one time /
ulu not have furrow plowed for two weeks
VI longer, and, as for grass, it was too dry
,or the seed to terminate and come up. /
uau 10 commence the 1st of August and give
.ne crop general working over to "lay
oy'' and topped it about the 10th. To re-
'urn' Mr.. William Kelly, of Union, large
ana successful farmer, who boated his cot
ION to Columbia and went down by private
conveyance, often spent night with me,
ana ON doing so after the cotton was picked
I'd" IN my ten-acre field near the house
"nich was topped about the 10th of Au-
euaV inc large top crop that had been made
unu picked, with the bulls being left on the
''alSs, asked the name of the cotton, and
vi oeing told that it was the Cook, requested
LIE 10 send him few bushels of seed TO AL
S'oh TO be taken home on his boat recite
SHe above in part to show that this field.
IRON its high locality and getting the morn
lug and southwestern sun, fastened the ma
'u'lty Of fruit, as in plantation towards the
INer' the cotton being so young grow too
rapidly to be benefited much by the topping,
9oV mad noted that had 105 acres planted
ana made 81 bales, average weight 27O
POUNDS gross-a good crop to grow and make
aI'er the 9th July, which 1 was partly
wing TO the topping Fastening thought ma
su'lOy' and certainly 50 in the field near the
house. Again in 1857 we had a drought
rom the 18th Of July to the LIST of August,
aiter which plenty of rain. The cotton had
stopped growing and shed off most of the
shapes as they bloomed, but was very well
ooHed on the lower limbs and commenced
20 grow again on the 5th, and decided to
.op the l9-acre field near the house and let
'ne general crop remain without it and no