The Van Buren press., 1897-12-25
FOR COTTON RAlSERS.

The 'Intensive" System of Culture ON an
Extensive scate-But Little "Rotation"
and no decrease In Acreage" Necessary.
We will again commence by stating
the three essentials of the intensive
system, viz; Feed" distance" and
culture" and would state, in lam
guage that can not be misin terpret ted:
If you are not going to feed, there is
but little reason to fret about dis
tance," just go on raising tweed" like
you have always done; but remember
it is false economy to starve either
plant or animal. True economy has
been defined as "the best use of means
to the best end" In regard TO rational
fertil ilization, the laws of true econ
omy call for the best plant-food OBJ
tainable, applied at the right time, in a
right manner, and in the greatest pos
sible quantity consistent with its
profitable" use. While according to
theory, fertilizer for cotton should
contain the plant food ingredients in
about the following proportions: Phos-
phoric acid, one part; potash, one
eighth part; and nitrogen, two parts;
still practical experience has demon-
strated that more phosphoric acid can
be applied with profit than this for
mula calls for. We have had excellent
results. 4OO per cent increase over and
above no fertilizer; 800 per cent. in.
crease over and above lime alone 600
pounds per acre.; 200 per cent increase
over and above phosphate alone; and
100 per cent. increase over and above
that which received lhe same amounts
of nitrogen and Of phosphoric acid, but
with one-half ration (60 pounds) of
potash, from the use of the following
formula: Acid phosphate, 6l5 pounds;
nitrate of soda, 200 pounds; muriate of
potash, 12O pounds; making 935 pounds
of fertilizer per acre. This will cost, say
$lLG9 for ingredients at seaboard
prices; of course freight will have to
be added, which will bring it up in the
neigh bOrhood of Sl2 per acre. Now,
this is what we used ON very poor land,
and with the above result. Mr.. j. w.
Treen, of Poplarville, Miss, used the
same amount (935 pounds per acre.,
and increased the yield from 700 pounds
OF seed cotton per acre to 2,640 pounds,
an increase over that not fertilized of
2t7 per cent As cottonseed meal is
as a source of nitrogen-possibly more
convenient to the average cotton raiser
than is the nitrate of soda, it may be
substituted for it whenever desirable,
by using twice as much, or 400 pounds
of il, in lieu of the nitrate; the meal
being the cheapest, 81 will be saved
in the substitution. The crude
cotton seed may also, whenever
desirable, be substituted for the
meal by bearing the fact in mind
that for fertlizing purposes, 500
pounds of cottonseed meal are equal
TO a ton OF the crude seed; hence /, 900
pounds of cotton seed would equal the
200 pounds Of nitrate of soda and may
be substituted therefor in above form
ula. This brings us to the right time
% apply fertilizers in order to receive
best results. Potash and phosphates
should, whenever practicable. be APP
piled in the fall or during winter, or
very early in spring, some weeks--at
least-before planting. Cotton seed
buoulu DC dpplltu III Jdhudtg' by open
ing u furrow. both wide and deep,
strwing the seed and listing on same.
Nitrate Of soda may be applied at the
rat of 30 pounds in the drill at plant
ing. lhe balance TO be used as top
dressing after cotton is up. One hun
dred pounds of cotton seed meal may
be applied in drill at planting, the bal
ance in siding burrows at first work.
ing. The object in strewing seed in
January is to keep them from sprout-
ing. 4 still better plan, and one wide
ly prac,iced, is TO scatter the cotton
seed broad cast, wording them into