The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-06-26
FARM NOTES.
The SYSTEM OF TOPPING COTTON FOR
BETTER YIELD FAVORED BY
FARMERS.
What is the Matter With the Farming
Interests of the Country?

This column is edited by Mr.. John G
Edgar of Duval, to whom ali communica
lions should be addressed.l
TOPPING COTTON.
To the Editor of the Statesman.
Sir am an cid cotton raiser and
know just what is the matter with
BLACK Waxy's" cotton that it grows
SO spindly. He plants the wrong
Time OF the moon. Now, I've tried il
every way and know.
New fashion farmers don't believe
IN planting by the signs, but l can
make crop when they can't.
= There's right and wrong time to
plant everything. If cotton is planted
In the light of the moon or when the
sign is in the head it will run to weed
and will not make much bolls.
always plant in the dark of the moon
and if l have the season | always
make good crop. Let anybody that
doubts me try it and see if it isn't so.
l have read lot about checking cot
ton but can't see any good in it. A
man that can't make crop of cotton
with hoe and double shovel should
quit. You are right about blowing
shallow. I only just scratch my land
after planting, but pillow deep before
planting. Yours, ETC.,
OLD COTTON RAISER.
Although I don't agree with the
sign theory expressed above, L am glad
to give publicity to cold cotton
raiser's" views, as the STATESMAN is
perfectly unprejudiced and open for
the discussion of every phase of every
question pertaining to the farmer and
his interests. 1t will be observed that
the writer requires season" after
he has planted by the sign and herein
lies the secret of the crop rather than
in the moons stage at planting time.
The shallow blowing during growth
of the plantI entirely agree With if
combined with frequency. Keep the
sweeps running all the time, so as to
Ike Up down weeds and preserve mel
low surface. I shall be glad to have
this topping question further dis
cussed.-ED.
10 the Editor of THE STATESMAN,
Sir-Ip reply to "Black Waxy" I
will say that l have piece of land
on which cotton always grows spindly
and would not make enough TO pay
for the picking if / did not top it. On
such land / am satisfied that topping
will double the yield at the very least.
| don't know whether it is some fault
in the soil or the location but L do
know that topping is the cure.
/ top the plants when they are
about two feet high. I go along the
: rows with sharp long-bladed knife,
and Schip the tops off nearly as fast as
"can walk. An active 10y can easily
( do five acres day. AS soon as the
Pop is cut off, the cotton begins to
/ branch out, and it goes to making
forms instead of running into a small
weed. would advise any one to give
it trial. Yours, ETC.,
A. Up.
Glad to have your experience. 1t is
valuable indeed if it will double the
yield at so little cost. This exchange
of experience is the best of all methods
of agricultural instruction. Such is
the object of farmers Institutes, but
they can only be held at wide intervals
of time and place, whereas, if farmers
would, the instruction might go on
all the time through such a medium
as the STATESMAN offers. Come farm
ers, write your experience, no matter
whether favorable or the reverse.
ED.
SAVING SEED CORN.
This important work is sadly neg
lected. Even those who recognize the
value of selecting their seed in the
field fail to do it, sometimes from care
lessness, but generally from pressure
of other work. Now is the time to
select seed for next years plan ting,
but that tyranieal monarch, "King
Cotton" commands the homage and
labor of his subjects, and till his inter
ests are served others must suffer.
The "big four" in farming are soil,
b eed, season and cultivation. There
must be combine" to insure full
crop of anything. Two of the condi-
tions may be beyond the control of
the farmer, but seed and cultivation
depend upon individual effort. 1t
pays to select or buy good seed, even
at con siderable labor or expense. 1t
an unvarying law of nature that like
springs from like. AS sound, healthy
cannot animal be the offspring of
sickly, diseased parents, so vigorous,
fruitful plants cannot spring from inn
mature or damaged seed. If the
selection of seed corn is left till
planting time and it is made
from the crib, which is the
almost universal rule, the chances are
that much of the seed will be unfit for
planting. There will be no uniformity
Of character, some will be early and
some late, and being planted indis-
crimipately, imperfect fertilization will
result To remedy this, go into the
field when the corn is fairly formed
and attach label or bit of bright col
ored rag to the stalks bearing the
largest and earliest ears, and wherever
80 aood e.rs anpear on one stalk take