The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-01-29
FARM NOTES.
VARIOUS KINDS OF COTTON AND
METHODS OF PLANTING.
Something Abont the Cattle Outlook
Planting of Oats and Prices
of Cotton.

This column is edited by Mr. John G..
Edgar of Duval, to whom all communica.
tons should be addressed.l
To the Agricultural Editor of the STATES
| MAN:
SIR:-As you have invited a discussion of
the right distance to plant cotton question
l propose giving you my experience in
that respect. have been growing cotton
on the black lands of Hays county for
twenty-one years and ought to know some
thing about it. l have tried in my time
many kinds of cotton and methods of plant
ing and cultivation. The long limbed cot
ton does best in this section and the Myer
is the best ever planted or expect to plant.
The cluster kinds are no use on our black
lands. l believe in hard bedding as have
found it gives better results than deep
flush blowing. l cannot agree with you
that 4 feet is too wide for cotton rows
and never plant any narrower. l would
rather have plenty of room between the
rows even if the cotton had to be crowded
in the row. Cotton will stand more crowd
ing than anything else, but it must be well
cultivated and never plowed deep after it
is five or six inches high. In other parts of
the cotton belt the crop is cut short by late
springs, early winters, excessive rains, lice,
boil worms and army worms, but in this
part of Texas we suffer very
little from any of these things, but nearly
every year our crop Is cut short about fifty
per cent. by the shedding of squares in July
and August. Now this shedding is caused
| by lack of moisture. If the soil Is kept
well stirred and loose on top the moisture
will hot be drawn out by the sun, but re
| main where the roots can get it. Now,
| though frequent blowing won't do alto
gether as a substitute for rain, it goes a long
WAY in that direction. There is more in
cultivation than in any other work on the
crop. would like to hear from others but
"Them's my sentiments"
The time for spring sowing is at hand,
and the sooner the work is done the etter
the chance of a crop. Agricultural papers
tell of various methods oil seeding and SOW
ing as well as of new varieties that have
laid old systems and seeds completely
under.
Their statements may be accepted and
their conclusions approved, so far as they
apply to the experimenters, but far
mers removed several hundreds of
will do well to hesitate before discarding
well proven seeds and plans of seeding. /
have tried nearly every new discovery in
oats in the hope of finding something bet
ter than our red rust proof, but none of
them "fill the bill"
There are many better varieties grown in
other states and Canada, but they alto
gether fail nere. Rust is their implacable
foe and certain destroy e., so that is Hob
sons choice with us, the red rust proof or
none. We are told in the northern agri-
cultural press to prepare land for oats by
deep blowing and thorough narrowing, as
we prepare for corn or cotton, and some
recommend drilling. This may do on
| northern lands, but is not at all the thing
in Texas. / am satisfied that there is no
better plan than sowing broadcast and
plowing in so as to get the seed under about
two inches of soil. The finer that two
inches of soil the better, but it is an ad
vantage to have hard bottom for any
small grain.
As to quantity of seed, from two to two
aud half bushels to the acre will be found
TO give the best result. If the seed could
be evenly distributed less quantity would
do so, and there are machines for broad.
casting that do the work effectively and
soon save their cost in the price of seed
saved, but, as the average farmer only sows
few acres, be will continue hand seeding,
and must pay an extra tax of half bushei
to the acre.
1t pays to thoroughly harrow or other
wise smooth and level the soil after blowing
in of seed. That should be done daily as
the plo wing progresses and not left till the
whole field has been seeded, as the newly
turned over soil pulverizes better than when
it has beer exposed for some days to the
sun and rain or other causes, may prevent
tie narrowing till the seed has terminated,
when any disturbance of the soil will iDjure
the young plant. borrowing serves three
fold purpose in this case: 1t makes fine
seed bed, it helps to more evenly distribute
the seeds and leaves the land in good shape
for the harvester.
| THE CATTLE OUTLOOK.
The longest lane has a turning, and when
things get to the worst they must mend.
The cattle men of Texas have been travel
ing the long ill conditioned road of unprof-
table labor for several years and many
have begged and sunk out of sight in the
financial sloughs and monetary bitches
god pitfalls by a.ir way. They have be EN-
.r. inr o. hold uu .it aGa Url was reached
aHt have strained their mental optics to
tgtcn Gimp. OF the silver lining
lpt is spio O.. hs Woient in every
laIo4d Some -a0.ameo assessed of more
isuu.E VISION IhuH OH ers, -a1 they can now
'n'eaIv se. tAe margin of he lining. and
a-uuhra, ate. tlp bright s,le will shortly
gp IL ft. wlsE ~a 1Hie DO oe. We have
lu.U tough 3.r alj wi be able to APP
i1le.lle change for lAo letter. ana not
w BWmiS, bgt think nat the present
l..a zion of the cattle .nna try jushlies a
{ i.....I,-t ,,g., ',f.. ..rrt..ff.. for beef il