Okolona messenger., 1909-03-24
Good Cotton Farming Methods.

- ~-~N~R oAA0 RASAANAASsb
acres, a Niger and, a mule" was the
slogan; today we have the mule and
40 acres. but the labor is gone, or
worthless. Now, how are we to over
come this labor problem, cultivate our
lands and hold the monopoly as a cot
ton country?
To the solving of this problem let
US now direct ourselves. The first
step in cotton culture, under existing
conditions, is the proper preparation
of the land. Say We have our lands
divided into, sections, and we wish to
use one section for cotton next year.
then begin the preparation by grow
ing small grain Of some kind, follow
ing with peas, using 400 pounds OF
ash element per acre, put In broad
cast or with drill, and one to two
bushels of peas per acre. When the
peas are beginning to ripen, If you
have stock or can purchase some to
consume the hay, cut the peas and
feed to stock, taking good care of the
manure, and apply to land. This is
the most profitable way to use the
pea CROP but if you have no stock,
and won't buy, thsn turn under after
frost all the peas, grass, etc., thus
putting into your land vegetable mat
ter that will be converted into cotton
and pay a large dividend on the in
vestment Never, under any circum-
stances, NOW ahe peas from the poor
places in the field Your purpose
should be to have your fields of a uni
form fertility, producing cotton OF
equal size and fruitage upon each
acre; SO look carefully after the poor
spots.
Use as much fertilizer as you are
willing to buy, based upon the amount
of vegetable matter turned under and
the general fertility of this soil, not
to exceed 1000 pounds per acre, un-
less the land is rich. Poor land de-
void of humus will not bear heavy
applications of commercial fertilizers
Quite large amount of fertilizers Is
lost each year by such methods.
Cotton rows, as general rule,
should be about four feet apart. Open
furrows and on sand land put about
half the fertilizer in drills and apply
the remainder during cultivation of
crops. On stiff and clay lands the
whole amount can be used before
planting. When more than 900 pounds
Cf I tA
twothirds of the amount broadcast
and harrow in before laying off rows;
balance in opening furrow. Cover
with disc harrow, throwing all the
dirt to the center. This at one trip
makes the ridge upon which the cot
ton is to be planted. This can be
done with a reversible disc harrow.
1t does all the work that a non-re
versatile one will do and many other
kinds a cotton grower is in need Of.
Amy good planter Is all right; use
on sandy and light lands form one to
one and half bushels of seed per
acre; on stiff lands use two bushels.
The variety of cotton you plant should
DO uSIOi hIihOu W Shdi dSlSI VI oOli
and location.
When you see the ground begin to
crack along the rows, then commence
the cultivation. Do not wait for the
cotton to come up. Where you have
crust formed by rains, run across the
rows with light iron tooth smooth
ing harrow with teeth set so they
will not drag up the cotton. In four
to six days run diagonally across the
rows again. and repeat in few days,
going in opposite direction; now take
the weeder and run it straight across
the rows, then diagonally in both
ways, going over once a week until
the cotton Is four or five inches high.
II this work Is well done it needs
no hoeing up to this time. Now, 60
over with hoes, thinning to stand and
clearing all grass left by harrow and
weeder. On light lands and where
there is not crust use the weeder from
the start. After hoeing, If your land
Is such that cultivators can be used.
by all means use them; cultivators
that will work q row at one trip; use
these as long as you can stradls the
cotton. then finish with the open and
shut kind; they will plow a middle at
one trip. All cultivation should be
shallow, deeper when the cotton Is
small, using great care not to break
the small feeding roots as they ex.
tend through the land. They are do
ing the work for you, searching for
plant food in every square inch of
soil, so break as few Of them as pos
sible. Keep the middle clear of grass
at all times.
How late we can cultivate cotton
depends upon the season. Sometimes
the last week in July, at other times
up to the middle Of August. Every
man must be saved from ruin at times
by breaking the crust and stopping
the evaporation Of the water, allowing
the cotton roots 10 get It instead OF
the air.
We have given . plan for the cul-
tivation of q cotton crop of normal
year; this will have to be changed un-
der unusual conditions; for instance,
~ vou have muoh rain about and inst