The Springdale news., 1916-05-05
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB WORK
No. 6. Primary Rules of Cotton
Growing.

NO D. primary Rules OF Cotton
Growing
By W. c. Lassetter Assistant Director
of Extension, University of Arkan-
sas, and L. S. Department of Agri-
culture, Cooperating.
Cotton responds more readily, more
| percepttbly and more profitably to
| little good treatment than any other
farm crop. It will seemingly do bet
ter under adverse conditions than any
other crop. Never a year comes but
that some money can be made from
cotton. But since the crop responds
so readily to good treatment there is
no reason for requiring that it grow
without attention. Yield of cotton per
acre can be materially increased
through attention TO variety to be
grown, the preparation of the land,
fertilization and cultivation.
More than 800 varieties of cotton
are being grown in the South. and
these vary widely in their ability TO
yield. In tests conducted by the Ar
kansas Experiment Station the aver
age of the better varieties showed an
| increased return of from twelve to
fifteen dollars per acre as compared
with the average of the poorer varie-
ties. Repeated tests conducted by the
Experiment Station show that for av-
erage conditions the Mebane Tri-
umph, Cleveland Big Boil, Trice, Rub
lee Simpkins and King are reliable
varieties from the standpoint of yield
per acre.
All cotton seed to be used for
planting should be tested for germi-
nation before planting. Use for this
two plates and a piece Of absorbent
cotton cloth as outlined for various
farm seed tess. De not use seed for
planting purposes that show less than
20 per cent termination
If the soil is to produce good cotton
it must be we'll prepared All land
for cotton should be broken in the
fall or in the very early spring, going
one inch deeper than at the last
breaking.
Well drained land should not be
bedded Very poorly drained land
] ~ ODdDlS onodiN Dt OtpdtQ. DO gOQI
bedding at least three or four weeks
ahead of planting time.
If land has been broken In the fall
or early spring, begin TO double disk
! it about three or four weeks before
! planting time, then harrow each week
/ until ready for planting. This repeat
ed narrowing will kill successive
! Of IL
they come up. and will leave the land
much freer of weed seeds and will
make the crop easier to w&-k Where
land is bedded harrow the tops of the
| beds we'll before planting. Try to
work the beds down in such way that
when the seed are covered they will
be about on an average with the sur
! face of the land.
Fertilizers.-Apply ten tons (ten
good loads) of barnyard manure and
800 pounds Of Is per cent acid phos-
phate per acre broadcast and disk or
harrow it Immediately. In the event
you cap secure only three or five tons
of manure, lay off the rows with
good, large shovel pillow and distribute
| the manure and the acid phosphate In
the burrows Follow with bull
tongue and eight or ten-inch heel
sweep run in the bottom of the fur
row to mix the fertilizing materials
with the soil Bed on this and allow
to settle for two weeks, II possible,
before planting.
If barnyard manure is not available
you may substitute commercial fertil-
izers. For Just average soils thor
oughly mix $50 pounds cotton seed
meal and ESQ pounds 16 per cent acid
phosphate Apply in the drill previ-
Gus to bedding. For good soils mix
/ 200 pounds cotton seed meal and 800
pounds acid phosphate. On rich soils
apply 300 pounds acid phosphate.
Plant cotton as soon as the soil
begins to warm up. Never use a
planter that drops only one seed IN
a place. 1t is much better to plant
in rows from three and half to five
feet apart and in hills from II to %
inches apart, putting from eight to Is
seed to hill.
Begin to cultivate with the section
harrow before the cotton comes up.
After that chop out and cultivate with
an implement that will not run more
than three inches deep. Practice shall
low cultivation two to two and half
inches continuously Cultivate after
every rain as soon as the soil Will do
to work, and in case of dry weather
cultivate every ten days. Continue
until the cotton begins to show signs
of maturity or until the plants are so
large that the cotton cannot be work
ed without seriously breaking them.
Then sow crimson clover for winter
pasture and to build up the land.