The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-21
Growing COTTON ProfltahIx.

B. Stevens, writing in Practical Farmer,
on the great staple of Southern farming,
says:
commenced growing cotton, renting
land the first two years, at a rent of one
fourth the crop. l succeeded so well that
after the second year 1 bought a farm of
forty-six acres paying a small amount
in cash. 1 now have my farm paid for.
nave built comfortable house and have
a nice young orchard coming into bear
ing. 1t was all paid for from money re-
ceived for cotton. My success has been
due TO a study of the cotton plant. 1 have
been enabled to pick up facts which have
helped me to get ahead, while numbers
of farmers have barely held their own,
and others are poorer than when began
to farm for myself. At first l followed
the common custom of deep cultivation
and early laying by. One day, when lay
ing by my first crop, after a good rain,
noticed place where the water had been
running down the middle and saw exposed
a great many fibrous roots, extending
from row to row. Here was a revelati
to me. l had thought that cotton roots
were mainly tap roots running straight
down. l saw that l was making a serious
many of these fine feeding roots. AS a
result of this discovery the next year I
grew on twenty acres of rather poor up
land about sixteen bales of cotton, receiv-
ing for it over $3.50, besides the value of the
seed. One-fourth of that had to go for
rent, and l decided that 1 could no longer
afford to pay rent.
My neighbors laughed at me when 1 be-
gan 10 advocate shallow cultivation, but
some of them say now that they will
watch me and cultivate as do. l do not
believe in blowing deep at any time after
the cotton is planted except in very wet
weather in early spring to let in sunshine
and air. Then care should be taken not
to leave a ridge. When the cotton begins
to send out long limbs, all cultivation
should be shallow. Work as early as pos
sible after every rain 1 made mistake
last spring by not blowing after rain. l.
had been raining so much that / thought
we had better wait a few days and save
a blowing. But it did not rain for a MONTH
and l lost by waiting. 1t pays best to
plant early. Here, where droughts are fire.
duent, some object to early planting, rea-
soning that if they plant early the cotton
will stop growing during the summer,
while if they plant late it will keep on
growing.
The trouble is with the blowing. Frequent
shallow cultivation, kept up until late in
summer, will keep early cotton growing
until the fall rains, and then it will be
much better than if planted late. 7. B.
Terry's advice in regard to the conserva-
ton of moisture in the potato field an
swers equally well for cotton. find that
if 1 keep the surface soil stirred about one
inch or an inch and half, forming a good
dust mulch that cotton will stand a severe
drought with little injury. While it some
times appears to stop growing, it holds
the bolls and looks healthy. l have seen
cotton after a drought look as though
ruined. and afterwards start off nicely
without rain If there is plenty of mois-
ture from dew on the leaves the cotton
will do we'll as the moisture on the leaves
checks evaporation, and enables the plant
70 catch up from the roots If there is
no moisture in the air. constant cultiVa-
tion may prevent its escape from the soil.
If might not be best to cultivate so often
If we had plenty of rain; but as we cannot
control the weather it is best to be on the
safe side.
prefer TO have cotton thinner in the row
than most people do. | have my rows So
feet apart, and the plants 2ia feet apart
in the rows On very rich land l would
give it still more distance. Let each plant
have a chance to attain its greatest perfec-
ton. Left too thick the extra number Of