St. Tammany farmer., 1905-11-18
THREE BALES TO THE ACRE
How Twenty-Four Bales OF Cotton
Were Raised on Eight Acres Of
Land In Georgia.

Editor Southern Cultivator: In an
editorial on the first page of your July
number on Southern Georgia you
state Mr.. Somebody raised "a bales
of cotton on eight acres. What I ask
for is the details. ~ What kind of
land did he use? (2) How did he pre-
pare it, and did he fall-break it? (3)
When Gid he plant and what kind of
seed did he use? a. How much fer
tilizer was used? Please give the
formula. (5) Give us the mode of cul-
tivation, and how often, and state about
| the seasons.
In response to the above, we will de-
scribe the conditions under which this
large yield was made in two different
places, and endeavor to make the steps
plain enough SO any one who desires
can do likewise. We took the trouble
| to 20 and see both parties, and in the
latter instance to put our foot upon
| the soil that so far as we know holds
the record in cotton production. The
facts in the case referred to in south
Georgia are these: The cotton was
raised on the land of Mr.. n. P. Cugle,
Of Oglethorpe, Ca; it was cultivated by
Mr.. R. N Allen, and We have the facts
from him. The piece contained nine
acres instead of eight, as we were in
formed. Mr. Cugle has a good many
cattle. and penned them on this land
at night, and their droppings consti-
tuted the principal manure used, only
$50 pounds of guaro being put in the
drill when the cotton was planted. The
land was broken deeply, and the cotton
planted in four-foot rows, and was
chopped and cultivated with scooter
and scrape in the ordinary way. It
was plowed rapidly, and soon grew up
to where it did not need any more work.
The nine acres yielded 81 bales, averag-
ing 512 pounds each.
Within the city limits Of Griffin, Ca,
in spalding county, Mr.. H. A. Burr has
six acres that yielded is bales in 1904.
It was cultivated on halves by Mr.. H.
C. Rodgers. We went out to view this
land, which is in cotton this year, but
owing to the hot wave which simply
cooked the forms upon it, and the
squares and young bolls still hang up
on the stalks by hundreds, the yield
will not be more than bale and half
| to the acre. The stalks were fine, SIX
feet high, but the top three feet had no
| fruit upon it. This land is fresh, the
| top soil is sandy, pebble soil, with
stiff, red clay subsoil, the ideal land
| for cotton. This land was brOadcasted
with stable manure in the fall and
broken deep with two-horse plow. In
the spring the rows were laid off four
feet apart, and 600 pounds of DAY
Break" highly ammoniated guano.
was used in the drill. The cotton was
planted about the middle of April, OF
the big Boil" variety. When the cot
ton came up it was sided and chopped
In the ordinary way, It was plowed
every ten days with scooter and scrape-
The cotton was lef. Jne stalk to about
every 1S or 90 incses.
We are convinced that to get the
maximum yield you must have 1t
thick; the land must be wholly occu-
pied with cotton. We have seen sew
eral parties this year trying seven or
eight-foot rows. This is too wide. We
are confident four feet is best, both
for corn and cotton Now three things
stand out very clear to our minds in
these two instances; and they stand
ct the very foundation OF all success
full farming. First, the lands were
broken deep; second, they were well
manured and largely with cow and
horse manure. We can never do the
best farming without more cattle to
make more manure Thirdly, th.s cul-
tivated rapidly. Rapid, shallow culti-
vaiion alone can gi-7 Us the maximum
yield. This is the way to make money
raising cotton; and whenever you
bring one or more acres up to this
yield you have done genuine service,
first to yourself. for you will never