The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-01-08


The principal function of cultiva-
ton Is to put the land in such condi-
ton and keep it in such condition as
will make the plant food it contains
as fully available as possible. This,
Of course, includes deepening the soil
so it will hold more water, for plant
food is not available for the use of
crops except as it becomes soluble in
water, and also the keeping of dast
mulch, or thin layer of fine, freshly
broken soil on the surface to prevent
the escape of this water after it has
been secured.
Now, cotton, while it does most of
its feeding in the first four inches of
surface soil, has, as you all know, "a
large tap root which plunges into the
sub-soiI to pump up water and plant
food from below, and the people who
make the largest yields of cotton are
those who take into consideration
the structure of the plant and fit
their land accordingly.
I have d friend in South Georgia
who has made three bales Of cotton
to the acre. 1t is true he applied
guano at the rate of ], 1000 pounds per
acre, but it is also true that he broke
his land Is inches deep.
| have often been asked how much
fertilizer can be applied proftably to
the cotton crop, and my reply has
been that no rule can be laid down
but that the profit would depend in
a great measure. on the condition of
the land and its ability to hold water
sufficient to make the guano soluble;
and it would also depend largely on
the guano itself, whether it was
properly balanced, and contained IA
sufficient quantity of potash, to-
gether with the other elements of
plant food to supply the needs of the
soil and crop to which it was APP
piled. Where very large quantities
of fertilizers are used, especial prep
aratiOn must be reSOrted to, as in
the case of my South Georgia friend,
who not only broke his land deeply,
but pulverized it thoroughly, apply
ing 500 pounds of his fertilizer broad
cast, and 200 pounds in the drill.
The general experience is, however,
that under ordinary conditions 400
pounds or 800 pounds of high
grade fertilizer to the acre will give
the most profitable results.
There Is an old saying, that thor
ough preparation Is half OF the cul-
tivution We have proved this to be
eminentIy true, and each succeeding
year finds Us spending more time and
labor in putting our land in the best
possible condition before planting.
The land we shall plant in cotton
next spring was subsoiled a year ago,
the ground being broken ut that
time about Is inches deep. 1t has
heen in cow peas the past summer,
and l. now in fine condition for cot
ton. We shall break this land deeply
in the Spring, with twO-hOrse plOw,
and work it down fine with cutaway,
smoothing harrow and roller. We
viii then lay off our rows about
three and Il half feet apart, after
which the guanO will be applied on
top of the ground III between the~a
rows, and fine tooth cultivatOr run
over II to work it in. The planter
Will follow this, putting in the seed
on the general level Of the land, thus
still turther stirring in the fertilizer
The rows that We're laid off simply
serve as IL guide.
The general practice of putting in
fertilizer with the seed, or applying
it through guano horn in little
streak and all in one place i, in my
opinion, poor practice. Probably
there il so little fertilizer used to the
acre by the majority Of farmers,
that this is the only means by which
enough can be put in one place to
have any marked effect. 1t is all
put Immediately under OF around the
seed and serves to give the plants Il
start, and that is about all. When
farmers learn to use enough fertili-
zer to make their crop, and not
simply to start it off, we shall hear
less about guuno helping to impover
ish the soil upon which it is used.
The cultivation Of our cotton will
commence almost as soon as the seed
is put in the ground. If it rains