The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1912-03-09

put mo the planter. The nitrate has
a tendency to cause the little cotton
to be vigorous and resist the bad eff
fects Of the cool nights better. 1t will
also generally pay to make side ap- .
plication of nitrate just after the cot !
ton has been thinned the first time. !
The production of an early crop OF
cotton is now absolutely necessary
This being true, we must plant early,
handwriting, prolific cotton seed. We
must either buy such seed every year
or select seed from cotton plants with
low fruit limbs and short joints on
the main stems and fruit limbs. The
necessity for early, rapid-fruiting seed
has not been so apparent, but with
the coming of the weevil we can hard
" over-estimate the value of the ear
Hest and most prolific seed.
1t is advisable for the average farm
err to buy early, rapid-fruiting cotton
seed from some reputable breeder
and then use every known scientific
method Of increasing the earliness
and productiveness of the cotton. The
variety tests at the experiment sta
lions name the earliest and most pro
life varieties of cotton. We act very
foolish when we buy cotton seed that
the experiment stations have not
shown to be the earliest and most
prolific by actual tests in the fields
through a sufficient number of years
to eliminate weather conditions. We
should never buy seed because Of high
sounding names or on account Of exag
gerated statements.
The object of early planting is to
hasten the maturity of the crop. The
weevils do not multiply until the
squares begin to form. The weevils
seldom become numerous enough to
destroy the entire crop before the last
| of July. While it is necessary to plant
as early as the seasons will allow, do
not forget that cotton is a tropical
plant and will not grow until warm
weather.
The use of the toothed harrow just
before planting and just before the
cotton plants are up to break the crust
and frequently during the early stages
of growth to keep the soil loose will
cause the little cotton to take Oh
rapid growth at once. The crop is
surprisingly advanced by the early
judicious use of the harrow
Begin cultivation and thin the cot
ton as soon as possible. Give the cot
ton cultivation every week and always
after a heavy rain in order to break
the soil crust and keep a soil mulch
on the ground. The essential thing in
the cultivation of the crop is to keer
the ground free from grass and weeds
and covered with a mulch. Harrows
cultivators and heel sweeps are the
implements to use in cultivating the
crop. A turning pillow is out Of place
in a cotton field unless the soil is de
void of humus and packs after heavy
rains or unless it rains for two Of
three weeks and it becomes necessary
to bury grass. If the soil packs, espe
cally early in the season, it may b.
necessary to use the turning pillow al
a necessary evil. If it becomes neces
sary to use the turning pillow to loosel
the soil or to clean out the crop lat
in the season by all means avoid dee
cultivation and especially deep cultiva
ticn close to the cotton. Furthermore
, be sure and use harrows or cultiva
, tors a few days after using the turn
| ing pillow to thoroughly pulverize tn
soil and make a dust mulch If poss
, BILE.
q This frequent and shallow GUILTY.;
ton with harrows and cultivator
), should be continued until the cotto
o begins to open. Most Of the benefit
r of thorough preparation, early rapiC
fruiting seed, early planting, and il
v tensive shallow cultivation may b
, lost unless the fields are given the u
h most attention until the cotton begin
n to open. Frequent and shallow cult
n walton late in the season will not r
II suit in the death of many adult we
wills, but 1t causes the cotton to r
b, main green and continue to grow ar
put on squares to furnish food for Il
% weevils.
= By all means avoid deep cultivate
10 late in the season, especially close
the cotton. If the plows cut the sit
"a roots and cause the cotton to cease
- put on squares or to shed the square
- the weevils will attack bolls whit
=, would otherwise not be injured.