Arizona republican., 1920-02-20
ND GENERAL RULES CAM BE APPLIED
 TO GROWING OF LONG STAPLE COTTON

seed bed is obtained-that is a light | dust mulch on the surface and a firm l moist soil underneath.
 | Now, to the time of planting, older cotton growers as rule prefer
 to plant early in March, but the fact 1 that some Of the largest yields have been obtained where the cotton is not planted until well into April would seem to indicate that the question of time to plant is not of so much mom ent as a thorough preparation of the
 seed bed and the saturation of the soil with moisture. Most of the cotton
 is planted in rows,- three feet, six in
 ches to three feet eight inches. The
 usual type of two-roW planter is not
 readily adjustable to other widths
 There are some very successful grow
 CTS who have planted as far apart as
 four feet and have advocated the wide
 planting. This is particularly true
 upon land which has previously been
 in alfalfa and therefore capable of
 producing large, strong plant and
 forcing the growth rapidly.
 The usual amount Of delinted seed planted is p to 90 pounds per acre, and the depth to plant varies from one inch to three inches. though the majority of growers prefer to plant not over two inches and usually under two. As to the time of planting, the temperature of the soil should be con sidered rather than the calandar, for unless the soil is warm enough to ger minate the seed the growth will be slow and the results a.e apt to be poor stand. Almost all growers begin cultivating their soil after planting; some harrow the field with a light drag harrow before the plants appear; others cultivate as soon e the plants can be seen in the rows. Usually the first cultivation is "barring off, or hra ha ay-fh n tn T11a r7t = following this with throwing the earth back towards the plants.
 Most growers thin when the plants are three to four inches high some preferring to let the plants go as long as possible, believing that this has a tendency to check the growth of vege- tative branches. Most growers thin by chopping with a hoe to the de- sired distance apart few pull the plants to a stand This seems to be a little more expensive than chopping but does not result in injury to the plants left standing, which is some times Caused by inexperienced, careless choppers.
 The distance apart that these plants should be left in the row is one of the disputed questions It is considered that where moisture conditions are absolutely under the control of the grower and he has had sufficient ex-
  when water should be applied and has the water imm mediately available, the plants may be left very close together in the row, say six to eight inches apart. Under ordinary conditions, however, it is not always possible to get water at a moments notice, and If it were, it becomes question whether the wider spacing which permits .of T wider range of moisture conditions Is l not advisable. In this connection, as | well as in the matter of time to plant, l experiments conducted at the Salt | River valley experiment farm in 1918, l under the direction of C. J. Woods are | of no little importance.
 The soil on this farm is rather heavy, | it would not be classed as adobe, but somewhat difficult to work | Paintings were made on acre plots, the land being as nearly | uniform and all other conditions as | nearly equal as possible The land | was p1owed in December, eight or nine | inches deep, the cotton planted in | rows 3k feet part, the plants being | to F inches apart From | the plantings of March 5th, 1,S06 | pounds were harvested; from that of March 18th, 1,54S pounds of seed cot ton was harvested; from that of April lst, 1924 pounds; from that of May 9th, 9SS pounds. The experiment to determine bests results from narrow pr close spacings resulted as follows: This was land under similar condi lions to that of the experiment noted above and was planted March 18th to