Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1897-05-07
COTTON FARMING.


Are Made on Very Poor Land.
We have not the slightest desire to
assist in any manner in bringing about
an increase in the number of bales
annually raised throughout the Sunny
South N general nor in Mississippi in
particular. bus we dc desire that
Southern farmers everywhere should
realize the fact that the same &, 000, 600
to II, 00C, 900 bales that are now raised
annually may be just as easily, just as
surely and far more economically and
pro6tably raised on one-fourth the
area IL Is to-day, leaving the other
three-fourths TO be put in provision
crops, traits CT grass. We have had
the good fortune to see and walk over
many Georgia farms-farms, too, that
were worn out and washed away many
years ago-that are now made to pro-
duce from one to four bales of cotton
per acre. This condition of things is
made possible and actually brought
about by the "intensive" system of
culture and liberal yet economical
fertilization.
As early I'M the new year as the
weather will possible admit of, the old
cotton stalks are "knocked,p or cut,
the roots are then Flowed up
with straight shovel; green cotton
seed ere then strewn in this shovel
furrow at the rate of ten to twelve
bushels per acre; two half-shovel fur
rows are next thrown on the seed to
proven. the loss of ammonia; in q few
weeks this small bed is opened with
long, narrow scooter and 200 to 300
pounds OF some good commercial fertil-
izer distributed in this furrow; phos.
plate and potash being oil sufficient,
the cotton seed furnishing the
necessary nitrogen; the land is then
bedded ont and out with straight
shovel and is now ready for the
reception of the seed. Under this
plan, persistently followed, Georgia
farmers have succeeded in so in
creasing the fertility of the soil that
with slight increase in amount OF
fertilizer used and = favorable season
four bales per acre have rewarded
their efforts.
A good heavy -cow-pea stubble
turned under Will be found to be fully
as beneficial to The coming cotton crop
as the cotton seed; either one will
supply all the nitrogen needed; but
in the absence of a cow-pea stubble,
the cotton seed should by no means be
neglected. Stable manure may be
used instead of either of above, but
the fact should be kept in mind that
al three of above are heterogeneous"
fertilizers, and are used mainly for the
amount of nitrogen they contain; and
either one, or all three need the addition
of phosphates and potash in liberal
quantities (seventy five pounds of Mu-
rate OF Potash or 800 pounds of Kainit,
with 200 pounds of Acid Phosphate)
per acre in order to make a complete
Fertilizer that shall be at once proper
ly balanced and duly proportional. II
the peas have been properly fertilized
with 200 to 300 pounds Acid Phos.
plate and 200 to 300 pounds of Kainit),
which they always should be.when the
object in raising them is that may be
turned under as fertilizer, it would be
hardly necessary to apply any add
tional fertilizer directly to the cotton.
Georgia farmers break their lands
deep (eight to ten or even twelve
inches) once about every three years
they say it does not pay to break them
deep any oftener. In this deep break
ing, the land is broken with two
horse turning pillow, blowing about one
inch deeper than the surface soil, thus
gradually deepening the soil. No crops
are planted here at all without ferlili-
ger being applied, and in the sander
portions of the State the farmers seem
to be unanimous in the declaration
that potash is the element that is
most needed" and that "any fertilizer
that does not contain as much as four
per cent. of it is not worth applying. "
Cotton here is planted in four foot
rowe, barred off with half-shovels and
cultivated the entire season with
cotton scrapes"-i. e. "heel.sweeps. T"
Burgess, Mas. G.H. TURNER.