The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1917-02-02
SUGGESTIONS ON
COTTON RAISING

- - ~ N4SA AO4NO ON
COTTON RAISING
(By H. c. FOndren, Parish Agent J
Owing the prospects of a very con-
siderable acreage of cotton Icing
planted in this parish this year l be-
heVe a few pointers on the subject
Oh cotton growing would be timely.
FIRST Of all | should like to advise
those who contemplate planting the
staple this year not to be carried away
with the present high price which has
reached very unstable heights. There
Is possibility that present prices will
prevail for another season but there
are too many elements of doubt fol-
the farmer to base his crop arrange.
ments on anything more than the
average prices of former years. The
present price is due almost wholly t.
the very short crop which is nearly
two million bales short of the nor.
NAL, but is sure to stimulate sue!
desire to increase the acreat
throughout the entire cotton belt tina,
a record acreage will likely he plan.
ed to this crop in 1917. Such Ar
acreage would very likely mean 6
yield of l6,OOO,OOO to 100000 bales
and this alone would break the presen,
market. Again war conditions pre.
: vailing in Europe this fall will de-
termine to a very great extent ths
price of the staple, so that the safes,
thing to do is to pitch the crop viii
a view of selling at normal prices anc
should the present high price prevail
so much the better.
As to the adaptability of the land.
of this parish to cotton culture there
is no doubt in my mind on thai
score. The only thing standing il
the way generally is lack of gooc
drainage. Cotton is strictly a DIR.
footed plant and will not stand an!
excess of moistur so the first reuui
site to a good cotton crop will b,
thoroughly good drainage. Next vii
be the selection of varieties that ar,
adapted to the soils and climate O
this section of the State, taking int,
account at the same time the likeli
hood of boil weevil infestation. An,
of the Kink types of cotton whicl
make only a medium stalk and ligh
foliage should be selected. Amonj
those recommended are Simpkins
Toole, Money Maker, Mitchell, Broad
well and Mebane's. The latter devel
opes a rather thick foliage but di,
we'll in Calcasieu and Allen parishe
the past year. None Of the long sta
pie varieties can be recommended be
cuse of their slow habits of growtl
and rather heavy foliage. Long sta
pie cotton is impossible under bol
weevil conditions and while we ma,
have only a slight infestation, tn
weevil is here and farmers would d
we'll to play safe by planting Onl
these varieties that afford least pro
lection to the weevil. A survey .
the parish by the state crop pes
commission recently showed goS
crop of mature weevils wintcring owe
in the moss and other rubbish alon
the bayous, canals, etc.
Cotton land should be well prepal
ed and ready for planting by Marc
25th to April 10th. Five foot row
should be used and a fertilizer con
posed of two parts acid phosphat
and one part cottonseed meal shoul
be applied at the rate Of $50 to 25
pounds to the acre according to tn
strength Of land. The same implt
ments that are generally used in cor
cultivation may be employed in col
ton cultivation. On the light sand
lands a bushel of seed will plant abor
three acres but on the heavy land
of this parish about bushel to tw
acres would be required to give
good stand. An article on cultivs
ton and spacing chOpping etc. wi
be published about April first.