Sharp County record., 1888-07-05
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.
Seasonab,e Notes on Cotton Culture.

nino', is the order of the dav some
timo during the month. 1t is the
farmer dread on account OF appre-
hended bad weather, and scarcity OF
aabor or "day hands" Circumstances
should determine whether the hoes
should precede or follow the plows'
If the cotton has come up we'll on
comparatively fresh beds-no heavy
rains having fallen since the seed
was planted, and consequently but
little or no grass, the work Of chop
ping may properly commence at once,
without previous plowing, especially
if the plows are still engaged in the
corn crop. If. however, the beds
have been compacted by heavy
rains, forming q crust ana
inducing vigorous growth OF
grass, it is very important to stir the
entire surface as quickly as possible
hy horse power. Where the stand is
good and the land is comparatively
level, some farmers have been pleased
with the plan of cross-harrowing the
entire surface with something like a
Thomas smoothing harrow Our own
experience is rather in favor of q mar
rover triangular harrow with the
center tooth removtd d, drawn along
and aside the rows of plants, so as to
sir the entire surface at one straight
trip to the row. This narrowing, or
sweeping as may be, permits the sun
light and air to penetrate the soil,
and wonderfully accelorates the
growth of the young plants,
while it destroys all grass
hat has either come up
rsprouted. The hoes should not fol-
ow the blowing or narrowing closer
han within four or five days. 1t is q
common practice with farmers to
make .sure work" at the first hoeing
leaning-ironing 1.-THE rows" as
ONE express it-and reducing the
tand carefully to two or three stalks
etween each width of the hoe. This
ia tedious operation. and requires a
ing time to get over the crop. This
Ian, according to our experience, IS
OF generally advisable. When the
, otton has begun TO take on the Sec
nd and third leaves it needs to be
=, linned and the remaining grass re-
= owed as quickly as possible. 1t
ten happens that the entire
op has come up as the effect of a
/ ngle shower of rain, and every acre
n equally impatient to be worked.
!: ie Object, then, is to go over the
III ops as rapidly as possible; to hoe,
e. we'll as to plow, The greatest num-
I of rows in day until the entire
l. op has received attention, then re-
r rn Immediately to the starting
int and do the work more carefully
'' d deliberately. The punches of
,e, lnts should be left as far apart as
.e- stalks are expected to stand when
Dr. luced to n final stand. 1t is no use
H. leave q bunch of stalks now to be
mt away at next hoeing. BY this
10; thod more cotton will be thinned
- more grass removed or
a troyed from among the
nts in one day than
the "slow, but sure" plan of
nding from one to two days per
per ID in chopping one acre. Some
49,. this "blocking out, and it is
W. y? Ter Objectionable to n neat farmer
~, il he understands the rationale.
90 other things being equal, the most
ctiye hoo;ng. at this iuncture, is
(which kills the most grass and
"P' s (partially) the greatest number
=, ills of cotton in given time. This
ms going over the greatest area in
~. The famous David Dickson
DC to say that he taught his hoe
way Is never to strike twice in
rIot same place. TO do the work
heu ,hopping or hoeing cotton most
IN lively and expeditiously, every
ame should be supplied with light.
teen square. cornered hoe, and it
the Id be kept sharp. A file or scythe
amo is avery convenient 1thing for
she brennan to carry in his pocket.
her Id that we could do away with
for are and extra seed necessary to
; q a continuous row of plants and
nin- subsequent resulting labor of
| me Dying the continuity of cutting
excl, hree-fourths or more of the
! the )! Careful selection and preser-
like of planting seed and dropping
,n a anting in hills is the coming
lg to Mark it. -Southern CuIttvator
,oo Sorghum for Fodder.
the orrespondent of the Rural Wortd
as;er Lastyear we planted about one
assed n acre of Early Amber sorghum
took We began feeding about the
:cnts. tbegan to bead, and the second
nters b was ready to cut in six OF
id he weeks. / do not think cane as
e an Tor milk as for fat, but put il
ding winter feed, and find it most
h the mt food for wintering stock.
Such Ill when putting straw in barn
X. l ea occurred to me of mixing
, my corn or cane in the straw Aft.