Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1910-04-28
Two Bolls Instead of One.

The worlds demand for cotton is
constantly increasing and to such an
extent it becomes necessary for the
southern farmer to make improve
ments in his methods in order to meet
this increased demand without in
creasing the area devoted to cotton. 1t
should be the endeavor of every intelli-
gent farmer to encourage farmers of
every class to diversity their crops and
raise more live stock, thus curtaiiinp
the acreage devoted to cotton. The
increased demand for cotton should be
met by producing more pounds on a
smaller area than is now devoted to
that crop, thus reducing the cost of pro-
duction by intensive cultivation. Every
acre of well drained land in this State
that is now planted to cotton can be
made to yield twice its present average
production. How to do this is the OBJ
Ject of this short paper, which merely
summarizes the results of experiments
published in Bulletins Nos. l45 and
l48 OF the South Carolina experiment
station, at Clemson college. According
to these bulletins this increased Weld
Is possible
BY early and deep plowing.
BY conserving the soil moisture, by
increasing the humus content of the
soil and by frequent and shallow cult
walton.
By turning under winter cover crops,
such as bur clover, crimson clover.
vetch and rye which are planted in the
cotton field at the last cultivation.
BY planting cotton only on soils well
drained and adapted to its cultivation.
BY giving plenty of distance in the
row and between the rows.
BY using the weeder frequently dur
ing early growth.
BY using large amounts of acid phos-
phate before or at the time of planting.
BY supplying stable manure either
broadcast or in the drill before planting.
BY using only small amounts of pot
ASH except on coarse, sandy soils.
BY applying 1000 pounds of lime per
acre for four years to cotton lands.
BY growing some of the winter and
summer legumes, thus storing more
nitrogen In the SOIL
BY the use of large amounts of am
monia applied in the form of blood,
cotton seed meal, fish scrap, tankage
and sulphate OF ammonia before or at
the time OF planting, and by later ap-
plications.
By using 25 to so pounds of nitrate
of soda per acre applied before or at
the time of planting.
by applying 100 or more pounds of
nitrate of soda per acre at the time the
trst bloom appears.
By the liberal use of acid phosphate
II the cotton is making weedy growth
and not fruiting properly.
by the liberal use of ammonia if the
plants are slow of growth and yellow
in color.
By being careful not to plow the land
when too wet.
BY avoiding anthracnose, or seed rot,
Dy proper seed selection.
BY planting only those varieties that
are suitable to the type of soil on which
they are grown.
by planting wilt resistant varieties.
by planting only big boil, easy pick
ing, early maturing varieties.
by breaking the crust after each
ram, thus saving soil moisture and Incl
dcntally killing grass and weeds.
by the proper rotation of crops,
which prevents soils from washing,
whch increases the fertility of the soil,
whlch puts the soil in better physical
condltlon, better chemical condition,
and better biological condition, which
prevents over-production, prevents in
sect depredatIons and plant diseases,
such as cotton root rot, black knot,
bacterial blight of cotton, cotton root
louise.
BY using kainit on black lack and
calcerous soils in which cotton is sub
Ject to rust.