The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1899-04-29
FARMER AND PLANTER.
THE sOUTH'S COTTON FIELDS.
Some Reasons Why the Cotton Fields
Should Not be Lett bare
During the Winter.

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staple money crop, which, if properly
used is the least exhaustive crop on
the soil that can be grown. And yet
under the system that has been pur-
sued in the south it is we'll known
tLat the soil has become depleted.
But it is not the growing of the cot
tor that has exhausted it. Of the cot
ton fiber not over two per cent. comes
from the soil, all the remainder being
the result of assimilation oj carbon
from the air under the influence of the
sunshine. 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
assimilation of carbon from the air.
Il should be plain then that if the
plant, and the meal and hubs of the
crop are returned to the soil, the
growing of the cotton crop should not
exhaust the land to any serious eX-
tent. But the land has been exhaust
ed mainly by the system that has been
pursued in the culture OF the plant.
Year after year the land is kept eE
posed to the sun in the clean culture
demanded by the crop, and ali winter
the bare soil lies exposed to the wash
ing of the heavy rainfall Of the south,
anG these influences have been far
more responsible for the exhaustion
o. the cotton lands than any growing
of the crop itself. How to avoid these
untoward influences should he mat
ter of interest to every thinging farm
er in the south. 1t has long been a
notion in the south that tl,e cotton
crop will not adapt itself TO any farm
rotation as is practiced by all improy-
ing farmers in other sections. This is
an error. The cotton crop can be as
well cultivated in rotation that will
constantly tend to build uD 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 is not of necessity the best
for the cotton farmer. Every cultiva-
tor should study his special money
crop, and adapt all his farming to The
purpose of increasing the capacity of
his soil for the production Of that crop
in the most economical manner. Big
crops can doubtless be made by piling
on fertilizers with a lavish hand, but
whether such a course is economical is
very questionable. Growing crops
merely by the aid of complete fertile
ers is planting, but it is not farming
in the true sense. But farm rotations
that are adapted to the crops and eli
matte conditions in the northern
states are seldom the best for the cot
ton belt. But it is perfectly feasible
to devise crop rotations that will suit
our soil and climate, and feed them
well and build up the proiuctiveness
OF his acres for the staple crop, for, 10
matterwhat may be said by pessimists,
cotton is and must be, over tie great
er part of the south, the MAJ money
Drop, and we must learn to grow il
under the changed conditions that
leave no profit to the old style planter.
Now, while the crop is growing, is the
time to plan better practices for the
future, and we would say IN all earn
estness, prepare now to have some soil
cover growing on your cotton field
next winter to keep the plant food
from all being washed out, and to add
humus and nitrogen to the soil. The
best plantfor this purpose is doubtless
the annual crimson clover.
But" says one, 81 can not get it to
grow on my land" So said North
Carolina farmer to me several years
ago, and he said that he gave up the
clover in disgust. But at my suggestion
he concluded to make one more trial
end add to his soil the matters in
which it was deficient and which pre-
vented success. He gave the crop
a dressing of acid phosphate and
kainit, and the result was a fine
crop of clover. So we say to
every man in the south who has
cotton now growing, try to get the
surface of that field covered with clo-
YER next winter,and get ready to farm.
The acid phosphate and potash are the
cheaper forms of plant iood and you
need not buy anything else. q dress
ing of 300 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 good stand
of the crimson clover ii the seed is
sown at the last working in 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 VIM
ter. With crop of crimson clover or
the land you may not get it tall
enough in an old worn cotton field to
cut this first time, but you can pow it
under, if done early in the spring, and
can then SOW field peas 10 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 good dressing
of the acid phosphate and kainit mix.
ture, and NOW the clover for hay as