Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1920-02-03
Cotton Culture on the Iyy-Dale Ranch

Cotton Culture on the Ivy-Dale Ranch
The 1OO-acre cotton plantation which
will De increased Ia 1000 acres for
1920 Is more than dream for the cot
ton enthusiast The men, MeSSrs. Ivy,
Dale. Berry and Miller who are aSso-
cited in this large venture are not only
having dreams about growing cotton
but arc doing more-they are putting
their dreams into effect
Mr.. T. NJ. Berry, who is the superin-
tcudcut for the ranch, has had many
years of experience in growing cotton
in Lower California. and he appears
to know the game from \ 10 lizard.
And ne was free To answer any Of the
questions ASKED by Mr.. l.. l.. Gaskill
and the county agent on their recent
trip to tina! ranch. The information
obtained FROM Mr. Berry ON this inn
portant crop is as follows:
Cultivation
The soil should be- well prepared but
need not be- piowed 50 very deep. Ia
this respect this company differs from
the practice in Eddy county, where
deep Flowing is recommended. After
blowing, the soil is listed aud the seed
planted on the ridge. Some times the
land is irrigated before planting and
some times after planting. Mr.. Berry
believes that either way is all right il
care is exercised.
Extreme care should be- used in not
planting the seed too deep. Two inches
is the maximum depth. Mr.. Berry
told of some loose ground in the fields
where the planter went deeper than
In other places or where the seed was
placed more than two inches deep in
he soil and the stand was very poor,
even though the soil was some of the
best.
Early planting is recommended.
Last year this company planted from
, April 10 to June /. All Of the early
planting yielded bale or more TO the
acre, while the later planting did MOI
do neary 81 well. Some of the early
planting yielded as high as two bales
of lint cotton per acre. Mr. Berry says
, that the pant when young is very ten
/. der. but after il has as many as four
leaves It can endure some frost.
When asked If the cool night would
= not be detrimental to the growth of the
plant Mr.. Berry replied that he
thought the cool nights were beneficial.
His experience in Lower California
, was that it was too hot there and the
I irrigtions often scalded the plants and
eau Il the bolls 10 drop OF. This does
{ not occur here unless the crop suffers
from lack Of water, and then If irri-
cation is given the hollS viii drop.
% Mr. Berry SAYS that they watcrcd
e their crop from three To five times bu'
q that they do not irrigate after August
, / IN order to allow all Of the hollis Ia
Z mature In the Deming section where
- our soil has no sub-irrigation he thinks
e we might apply our last irrigation as
= late as August -.
$ Their practice Is 10 plant 30 pounds
I of seed To the acre and then thin the
l plants 10 stand about II inches apart
b The crop can he cultivated the same
p n. corn hut when the plants are large
e the cultivation should be shallow in
order that the roots which are many
g and large. are not injured.
. With such tillage methods the first
s picking comes on the latter part Of
S September. and the first picking. Mr.
j. Berry Savs. always has the best quail
ity Of cotton.
Varieties
This company grew the Mehane VA
riety only last year. This year they
=, expect 10 plant considerable acreage
/, 10 the Lone Star but the bulk Of the
4 crop will be planted again 10 the Me
4 bane. They have not tried the Du
- range IN this section and Mr.. Berry
y. saws that he does mt like 1t aS wei
d, as the other varieties mentioned above
=. because the boil is much smaller and
= therefore, harder TO pick.
i Yields
a Many interesting reports have conn
{. 10 ms relative 10 the Yields in this plan
q tation. Some have reported that TIN
~ crop yielded two and two and one-hal
n bales to the acre This highly magni
n fed report Immediately caused many q
II our men 10 figure their profits OF
= paper at once and il would cause man
4 10 be plungers provided they could ge
10 the whcrewithal 10 do the plungine
Mr.. Berry denies anv such Yields. Thni
hest Yields were tv1 hllcs to the '"
and the 700 acres produced 525 bales
x or an average of three-fOurths bale pc
I acre. He thinks that they might hav
s. done better II the ground had beei
x leveled in time and the last seedini
could have been earlier. As was men
tioned before. the early planting
o welded one bale or more Of lint cottol
per acre.
Aside from the yield Of lint cottoi
, the seed averaged about 1000 pound
per acre. and for this they are gettin
n 500 per ton in III Paso. where Mr.. Dai
lputs Il through his refinery.
a Labor and Cost for Picking
The labor for picking Is almost eA