Fitzgerald enterprise. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1895-1912, 1912-03-23
EARLY COTTON CROP
Absolutely Necessary for MAXI
mum Yield of Staple.
Fertile Soil as We'll az Thorough
Preparation, Rapid Fruitins Seed
and Intensive Shallow Cult!.
walton Needed.
ttBy C. II. AFFORD, Special Agent of the


! 49,
! ttBy G. II. AtFoRD, Special Agent of the
Farmers cooperative Demonstration
Work, Jackson, Miss.) /
! IT is not only necessary to reduce
! the number OF &eeyils to the minimum
| Iii order TO grow maximum crops Of
! t4ASH. but is ass2 absolutely neces-
sarv 10 lsf1w al early Gfep Of cotton
! 4 late crop OF cotton Is for the wee,
vil-not for the farmer. j,
The production OF an early crop OF
cotton is accomplished as follows:
| Firat-Cut the cotton acreage to
! Ave or six acres to the mile so that
cultural methods may be closely fol-
lowed,
See6nd=plant only we'll drained,
#arm, qHiGk'makins land in cotton.
! Third-W here the soil responds to
! commercial fertilizers apply from
300 to 500 pounds per acre to hasten
maturity and increase the yield.
Foirfh- Thoroughl pulverize the
soil Sef6rG Planting. Work the soil
until it Isl IKE an ask heap for three
! or four inc1ss deSp. Little cotton
cannot grow of Well in mass OF
clods.
Fifth-Plant early, fabidsfruiting,
prolific cotton seed.
Sixth-Plant as early as the sea-
sons will allow in rows just about as
wide apart as the cotton usually
grows tall in average seasons.
| Seyenth-Commence to work the
little cotton just as soon as possible
ans never permit crust to form or
! the field to become grassy.
The majority of the oyer-wintered
weeyils are probably out of winter
quarters before the time the cotton
begins to set squares. \ race that
, means much and a race that is watch
ed by all the world then begins. The
cotton runs the race of its life to Set
squares faster than the WeeVlls can
multiply and puncture the squares.
The weevils take advantage OF every
opportunity to increase their num-
bers. II the lane. is vel drained,
pulverized and fertilized with from
300 to 500 pounds per acre. the seed
AN early, rapid-fruiting, prolific varie-
ty the crop given intensive shallow
cultivation until the cotton begins to
open the cotton will go out under the
wire far in the lead with from one
half to a bale or more per acre. Il
the land is ''late" and broken into
clods, very little fertilizer applied, the
seed a late, sloWsmakiHg variety, the
cultivation slow and deep, the ~eevils
will soon destroy all the squares ana
then destroy all the bolls.
1t takes fertile soil as well as thor
ough preparation, rapid-fruiting seed
and intensive shallow cultivation to
make good crops of cotton. The soil
should be we'll drained, full of humus
and contain plenty of plant food in an
available form The soil should be
deep for the following reasons: First,
! to increase the water holding capac-
ity;: second, to- let the water escape
| from the surface without running over
| the ground and washing it off; third,
to permit the air to circulate freely
| for a considerable depth in the soil;
| fourth, to secure crops against drouth
by enabling the cotton roots to go
! down to perpetual moisture; fifth, to
increase the area from which plant
roots may obtain food.
The soil must be full of vegetable
matter to prevent it from packing
after heavy rains so that cultivators
may be used to the best advantage.
1t must be full of vegetable matter to
increase the storage capacity for wa
! ter and thereby enable it to hold
enough water to carry the cotton
/ crop through the longest drouth in the
summer through heavily fortified. If
the soil Is devoid Of vegetable matter
and as a result does not hold enough
water, the cotton crop will stop grow
ing and putting on squares during
long drouth and shed the fruit already
on the stalks.
The soil may be put in the proper
condition for cotton by practicing a
suitable rotation of crops, including
leguminous crops, and by turning I'M
der the corn stalks the oat and pea
Stable, the grass and trash and the
cotton stalks where the land is COM
paratively clear of roots and stumps
and where large plows and strong
teams can be had.
It is advisable to fiat break the land
in the fall and early winter and then
bed it some time before planting
time The beds should be disked or
narrowed just before planting the cot
ton seed, but 1t is seldom advisable to
re-bed the land just before planting.
Cotton comes up quicker. grows off
faster and begins bearing sooner on
well settled, firm seed bed, conse-
quently, it is not wise to plant the
cotton on freshly prepared land
Where the soil responds to CONNER
cial fertilizers, it is advisable to make
heavy applications to hasten matur-
ity and increase the yield. 1t is best
to use fertilizers that stimulate the
fruit more than the stalk growth.
High grade IS per cent acid phosphate
is the basis for increasing fruit and
Fastening maturity. Cottonseed meal