The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1899-06-07
More Profitable Cotton.
CRIMSON CLOVER.

gives SOue SOOQ ADVICE IOr the pre-
ventfon of the depletion of soil in cot
ton fields. 1t could hardly be an ema-
nation from the Professor without in
Guiding his hobby Of cowpea growing,
but he includes in this article crimson
clover which he claims can be made to
grow i'm cotton fields by the use Of pot
ash and phOsphoric acid. The cause of
depletion is not the lint of cotton, but
seed stalk and leaf, and exposure of
the bare surface of the soil during
winter. With the return of the wood
and seed growth and the protection of
the soil from exposure to sun and wash
ings by some green crop that also a
soil remover in rotation. In urging.
trial of crimson clover in the cotton
field, he advises that the surface Of
that field be covered with clover next
winter, and get ready to farm. The
acid phosphate and potash are the
cheaper forms of plant food and you
need not buy anything else. A dress
ing of 800 pounds per acre between the
cotton rows, of a mixture of acid phos-
plate and kainit in equal parts will
not be without benefit to the cotton
even, and it will insure a good stand
of the crimson clover if the seed is
sown at the last working i'm August
while the ground is fresh and before
there has been rain to crust the
ground. If you fail to get stand of
clover there will then be time enough
to sow rye among the stalks late in the
fall. But in any event get some green
growth ON the land before winter.
With crop of crimson clover on the
land you may not get it tall enough in
an old worn cotton field to cut this
first time but you can pillow it under,
if done early in the spring, and can
then SOW field peas to be cut for hay,
and with the previous treatment,
should get big crop. AS soon as the
peas are off, prepare the land again
for the clover, by going over with the
cut-away harrow, SOW the seed and
roll. Put On this crop a good dressing
of the acid phosphate Ind kainit mix
ture, and NOW the clover for hay as
soon as in bloom in April, and at once
turn the land for cotton, without any
fertilizer, for you can make a better
crop from the fertilizer put on the clO
yer than you could from high priced
fertilizer applied to the cotton without
the clover. Now, in this cotton, sow
the clover again in August and repeat
the rotation, adding not less than 800
pounds of the potash and phosphate
mixture whenever the land comes in
clover This gives a rotation Of but
two years, with two forage crops and
one hoed sale crop, and is perfectly
feasible one for the man who wants to
get up his land for cotton growing rap
idly and does not care to make another
hOed crop like corn, or who has low
lands ON which he can grow what
corn he wants without interfering with
his upland cotton soils. 1t is too direct
ly i'm the line of what we have been
insisting for years, that the true way
to increase our sale crop is to feed lib
orally with potash and acid phosphate
the clover and peas that are going to
feed the soil and feed cattle too. or
course the rotation might be extended
to take in the corn and winter Oat
crops, but if the prime object is to
grow cotton and grow it cheaply the
two-year plan proposed will be found
as effective as any. The feeding Of
the clover and pea vine hay to stock
will furnish source of profit and give
manure for cotton. Sell your cotton
seed to the mill and buy an equal val
lie of potash and acid phosphate. The
clover and peas will take care Of the
nirogen.-bSouthern Ruralist.