The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1896-10-10
FARMER AND PLANTER
THE COTTON FIELD.
DO Not Leave 1t Bare During the Nez
Winter.

DO Not Leave 1t Bare During the Next
Winter.
The south is fortunate in having q
staple money crop, which, If properly
used, is the least exhaustive crop on
soil that can be grown. And yet, un-
der the system that has been pursued
in the south, it is we'll known that the
soil hss become depleted. But it Is
not the growing of the cotton that
has exhausted it. Of the cotton fiber
not over two per cent comes from the
soil, all the remainder being the re-
suit of the assimilation of carbon from
the air under the influence of the sum
shine. The matters that are drawn
from the soil are mainly in
the stems, leaves and seed.
Even the oil that is in the seeds Is the
result of the same assimila ton of car
bon from the air. 1t should be plain
then that if the plant and the meal
and bulls of the crop are returned to
the soil, the growing of the cotton
crop should not exhaust the land to
any serious extent. But the land has
been exhausted mainly by the system
that has been pursued in the culture
of the plant. Year after year the land
Is kept exposed to the sun in the clean
culture demanded by the crop, and
all winter the bare soil lies exposed to
the washing of the heavy rainfall of
the south, and these influences have
been far more responsible for the ex-
haustion of the cotton lands than any
growing of the crop itself. How to
avoid these untoward influences
should be matter of interest to every
thinking farmer in the south. 1t has
long been a notion in the south that
the cotton crop will not adapt itself
to any farm rotation as is practiced
by all Improving farmers in other sec
lions. This is an error. The cotton
crop can be as well cultivated in TO
tation that will constantly tend tc
build up the soil as any. other money
crop that is grown in this country
But the rotation that would be best
with the crops grown northward i;
not of necessity the best fol-
the cotton farmer. Every cult
vator should study his specia
money crop. and adapt all hi
farming to the purpose of increasing
the capacity of his soil for the produc
tion of that crop in the most econom
zeal manner. Big crops can doubt
less be made by piling on fertilizer
with lavish hand, but whether sucl
q course is economical is very ques
tionable. Growing crops merely b.
the aid of complete fertilizers is plant
Ing, but it is rot farming in the tru
sense. But farm rotations that ar
adapted to the crops and climatic con
ditions in the northern states are sci
dom the best for the cotton belt. Blu
it is perfectly feasible to devils
crop rotations that will suit on
soil and climate, and that vii
enable the southern cotton farm
er to keep stock. and feed them wei
and build up the productiveness of hi
acres for the staple crop, for, no mat
ter what may be said by pessimist.
cotton is and must be, over the great
err part of the south, the main none
crop, and we must learn to grow it M
der the changed conditions that leav
no profit to the old-style planter
Now. while the crop is growing, is tn
time to plan better practices for tn
future, and we would say in all carr
estness, prepare now to have som
soil cover growing on your cotton fel
next winter to keep the plant foo
from all being washed out.-Cor. Farm
ers' Home Journal.