The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1908-03-21
Timely Ideas for the Cotton Planter.

The time has arrived when the cot
ton planter should be actively at work
| preparing to wage warfare against the
boil weevil.
The weather experienced during the
past winter gives US every reason for
| believing that much smaller percent
age of the weevils will successfully
survive in their hibern ating quarters
| than survived during the winter OF
1905 OF. The early freeze in Novem-
Der of last year was boon to the
cotton planter, in that it destroyed
completely, in many localities, all
green leaves and squares upon the
cotton plants at that time. This de-
strnction Of the squares and small
green bolls could not result other
wise than in the starvation OF many
adult weeYils before cold winter
weather, to say nothing Of the young
larvae and pupae which were pre-
vented from maturing.
Thorough preparation of the soil
before planting is the first requisite
for producing an early, and large,
crop of cotton. Recently the writer
. visited a large plantation on Red
river where the owner has been con-
tinuously engaged since Jan. / in
cleaning up the plantation and in
blowing the cotton lands. At the
present time all of his cotton lands
have been plowed twice since Jan.
and are now being rebedded and
narrowed preparatory to planting
about A pril l. This planter will make
u good crop. Unfortun ately there are
many farms in the state on which not
single furrow has yet been turned.
These farms are likely to suffer heaV-
| ily from the boil weeyil the coming
summer.
The farmer should attempt to place
| the soil in a loose friable condition
| before planting-in as near the con-
dition of garden seed bed as pos
sible. To this end the blowing must
be well done, the disc-harrow or drag
| used and the land properly bedded.
A harrow run over the beds after they
| arethrown up assists very materially
in placing the soil in finely divided
state, free from clods and large Jumps.
The time for application of fertilizer
| to the cotton lands is almost at hand.
| The profit following the judicious ap-
Dlieation OF fertilizer to both upland
| and a1luvial soils has been thoroughly
| demonstrated by practical planters.
On upland soils or on those where the
! growth of stalk is small fertilizer
containing both nitrogen and phos-
phoric acid should be used, applied at
the rate of from 200 to 400 pounds per
acre about ten days before planting.
This application should be made in
the drill, to depth Of to inches.
either by using q regular fertilizer
distributor or by opening the rows,
placing the fertilizer in by hand and
then closing them again. The fertil-
izer should be so placed that the seed,
when planted, will be above the former
and separated from it by from 2 to 4
inches of earth.
The farmer can manufacture his own
fertilizer TO better advantage than he
can buy it. For lands which make a
small plant growth fertilizer made
by mixing 200 pounds OF cotton seed
meal with 100 pounds OF high grade
acid phosphate gives excellent results.
mately per cent phosphoric acid, 4
per cent of nitrogen and per cent OF
potash. To lands of medium fertility
fertilizer made of 200 pounds acid
phosphate and 100 pounds cotton seed
meal is well adapted.
On rich alluvial lands where the cot
ton plant grows large and luxuriant,
the use of heterogeneous fertilizers
should be carefully avoided. On such
lands the application of 200 to 800
pounds per acre of acid phosphate
alone will materially hasten early
fruitage and maturity.
A word may not be out of place as
to the proper date for planting the cot
ton crop. Since the campaign for
early planting was inaugurated there
have been many farmers who have
made the mistake of planting too
early, thereby experiencing serious in-
jury to the crop by frost or cold
weather, replanting being often neces-
STATED. The experience of the past
four years has shown that as a usual |
thing the proper date for planting in j
middle Louisiana is from about NJ arch |
e to April 5 and in the more northern |
tier of parishes from about A pril to
10. In the attempt to get an early /
crop before the weevils become abun-
dant little risk of frost injury by |
planting early is perhaps justified, but
planting cotton seed sin winter'' is
not likely to result satisfactorily.
WILMON NEWELL,
Entomologist, State Crop Pest Com.
mission.
Make the Start.