The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-24

TO one who had never thought Of Vlr-
ginia as cotton-producing State 1t ~
vcritable surprise to see what splendid
crops Of cotton are grown In some OF the
southern counties. The writer mas nae
considerable experience in growing cotton
In one OF tho Carolinas and has noted
In different southern states the kinds
OF soil best adapted to the culture OF
cotton: but he Is definitely certain that
neither in North Carolina nor In South
Carolina is there finer section lorh ErG%-
Ing cotton than Is found In the SOUTH,
eastern part of Virginia. Nansemond
county IL hardly surpassed by any sec
tIon in the South. OF this the writer Is
certain. 65
Ono OF the most disheartening things
tho South Carolina farmer. who grows
cotton, has to contend with Is the droueht
that almost invaria bly, appears when cot,
ton Is at a critical. stage cotto1 10
Just "fruitng'--bloom!n and putting on
.'squarcs"-and a drought comes, things
ara soon dreary for the farmer. Two
weeks OF drought Will cut the crop hatt
In two. The second growth sometimes
makes amends for damages sustained
but not always; for 1t Is slow process
for plant to regain It's LOST Slsef' 'n na',s
a new start to grow. and 70 trtit' oen
| orally the second growth Is so taEdy ina
| frost ruins what It gave promise OF
| making, A very slight frost runs coy.
| ton, for thore Is hardly anything on tha
| farm so sensitive to frost and COLO ~
/ the cotton plant. It Is BY all ODDS most
fortunate. II cotton can be kept GROW ON,
| ing: and nothing but plenty OF ram WI
| insure this. It takes a. great deal @
| hot sun and frequent downpour Oh ram
To make cotton-not too frequent; yee
| IL rain comes at intervals FAR apart the
growth Of the plant IS spollen. no,.
4 An, experienced cotton planter m Na'i-
semoad county, Virginia. tells me ina.
4 destructive drought never happens ~ TINS
l section. He said that II anything 10
commonly true, the season LOT kru ~
ing cotton in this section " Tathar Wy
! damp. ,,,,,,har
i of cotton nalds In Nansemond county,
both while they were In the frultlng stage
\ and after the cotton was picked out-
snma fields still have considerable cotton
ungatherod and January Is well unaeI
way. The cotton fields ! have exa'1 ,sn 60
show the most perfect tTulsag e., NJ 'ta'I
nyar sst that y tic hs' plant has developed
normally from the lowest to me Top o.,
mnst branches, A perfect otton DIE q!
has its longest and most heavily irul.s y
i branches near the ground ana ~ Wy
middle OF the stalk, T. = ne " ur .pv
4 the branches shorten and tho PALS o -
crease in number, For symmetry -
rrnwth 7 have never seen any such COL,
Il Ton as Nansemond county produces; ana
4 the frui,age is perfect, do not mean
! that every mans cotton grows 70 t tho
same height since the h nensth " ~ the
soil. But tho thin soil In this sectloh
! is marvelously productive, go, &C.
| III is considered IN middle South caro-
lima a good yield when the planter makes y
4 |ahaif n bale of cotton TO the acre - -
4 stn a n 4 r.
hniss off one acre on highly improved
farms. where quantities Of fertilizer a a. 9
mt rI a bale to the acre Is the top'notel,
81 Of a years Yield, Here IN Nhnsemond
county it Is not at all uncommon toE
cotton to Yield sixteen hundred 70 tM ny
thousand pounds q seeG e9a ore than IA
halo. The bale takes about fourteen
hundred pounds of seed cotton, Ine
most markahle piece OF farming nays
known in cotton GROWING was tllal 9. :, !.
planter near Suffolk, virginia. WM9 NE s
great crop 81 dElsh a p9'a thes :. p,anted
lie ground IN cotton. gathering as Mgn
as TWENTY-FIVE hundred pounds OF potep!I
10 the acre, he reports, or me srouHu1,,,,
have gone through the reg more lnalt
once and regard the, cotton as tne n Mhe
nlnnts grew breast-high 10 man.
III may sound strange to, say that A. !,
i thousl, this section of virginia Is hardy
SURPASSED in its adaptability TO COTTON,
culture, there is no great llkellho%9ai 90, o.
much cotton being planted here En-. t . )
are several reasons; one s,s ~ = s II
t r. he. | do not say that a farmer car
make as much by growing cotton as :. h =
can can make by growIng peanuts , ta'k;sne
acreage into account, ! DO not ps ass,
he can Stll a. successful cotton groWel
4 in Nansemonl county says ne sAN
Farmers certainly take more na Wss synia; r.
t Rat. fact BY their confidence that pea
nuts nuts are q more profitable crop thaR fos
II ton. I IL + I, I, 4, n, a. o,,n