Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1908-03-25
HELPS CORN AND COTTON PLANTERS.
Something Along the Line Of the Farmers
Cooperative Cotton Demonstration Work.

SeouSA W HOA ooAAoJ w HAoRAo VIZ
land for this years crop. The
rains have continued so late that
many fieldc are still very wet.
There conditions make it the more
necessary that the soil be well
prepared before planting. In the
In the impatience to commence
planting the temptation to plow
before the land is dry enough is
very great. Against this we issue
a word of warning There are few
more injurious farm practices.
Land plowed wet at this time is
injured for the whole season.
Such land is more than likely to
be cloddy, and clod in the field
is of little use to plants Cloddy
land is hard to work and seldom
gives a good stand. 1t furnishes
minimum of food to the plants
and is exceedingly subject to
drought. While it is desirable, es-
pecially in the boll-weevll Sec
tions, to plant cotton as early as
possible, yet there is nothing
gained by placing the seed in the
ground before the latter is warm
enough to germinate and grow; or
before the soil is thoroughly pre-
pared. This was strongly illus
trated last year in boll-weevil Sec
tions. Where the land was prop
erly prepared before planting.
even though this preparation
caused delay in putting the seed
into the ground, the yield was
much better than where attention
was not given to this detail. A
thorough preparation is more than
half the cultivation. Do not
plant either cotton or corn before
the land is worked into fine seed
bed even if planting is little
late.
Last spring a great amount of
trouble was experienced in secur-
ing stands, especially of cotton.
This was primarily due to late,
wet:spring; but there were other
contributing factors, including
poor preparation of land, improp-
or depth Of planting and poor
seed. The farmers seem fairly
we'll aroused to the Importance of
good seed. TO be good the seed
must not only be from good
variety but must have been care
fully selected and so cared for
that they have strong vitality.
Be sure the seeds planted have
not been damaged from any cause
Prepare the land thoroughly and
sufficiently in advance of plant
ing so that there is firm seed
bed, Then avoid one of the most
common causes of loss of stand
that of planting too deep.
With well-prepared land good
cotton seed, if properly planted
will germinate even in a dry
spring when covered to no greater
depth than one-fourth inch
Many of the cotton-planting ma
chimes on the market are faulty
in that it is almost impossible te
gauge the depth at which the
seeds are placed in the gronnd
This defect is only increased il
the seed bed is loose. Further
while they may not actually bt
E. covered to great depth, many
leave them in trench with hill
of loose dirt on each side. Th,
first good rain washes dirt into
the trench and buries the seed tot
deep. This should be avoided. 4
light roller should always follow
the planting SO as to press tn
ground close to the seed.
It is best even where it is no
necessary to plant upon beds, tt
place the seed upon a slight ridge
especially in planting early
This insures drainage and warmth
and consequently good stand.
There are more stands lost il
planting cotton by using to
much than too little seed. Whel
a bushel of seed is used it is YER
often a detriment, because Jh
'eeds are so close that when the
terminate they lift the soil in th
whole top of the row. If dry or
little cool weather follows th
soil Immediately around th
young plants dries or is chile
by the cool nights, and the plan,
die. IF this does not occur th