Year: 1859

From the Cotton Planter and Soil.
/ PREPARING THE ,SoIL--PLANTING AND


CULTivATING COTTON.


Dr. CLoup-Dear Sir: The period for the
preparation of the soil for the reception of
the seed in spring time. is near at hand. Il
have thought il might not be unimportant
to discuss the best mode Of preparing the
soil, and the cultivation Of the cotton plant.
~In the FIRST place, the hill sides should be
ditched, as no system Of cultivation will re-
tain the fertility Of the soil If every rain that
falls is allowed to carry away the richest
portion Of the earth, and convert the hills
into barren gullies. Independent of the
saving Of the land by the horizontal system
of culture, it is beneficial in retaining the
water so that il may be absorbed by the
earth, and furnish moisture to the plants in
times Of drought.


Next to ditching the hill-sides in impor.
lance, is the turning over with good turn
plows, all rough, grassy and stubble lands.
| The time when this operation is accom-
plished, is matter Of much importance as
sufficient time for the complete decomposi-
tion Of all vegetable matter must be allowed,
or the greatest good will not be accomplish
ed by this operation. 1t will be seen, then,
that the earlier in the fall or winter all stub
BILE and grassy corn lands are turned over
the better.


The immediate preparation Of the land FOR
the cotton crop should be commenced by
subsoling the land to the depth Of eight or
4 ten inches, and this should be done in Feb.
ruary if possible. As soon as the subsoiling
is gotten through with, the beds intended
for the reception Of the cotton seed should
be thrown up; this operation is also Of great
Importance, much Of the after success de-
pends on the manner in which the beds have
been made. Commence bedding BY running
shovel furrow as deep as one horse can pull
il conveniently, about three feet apart as
level as the rows can be made, then finish
bedding with turning plow. pulverizing the
earth as deeply and thoroughly as possible.
There is considerable discrepancy Of opin,
ion in relation to the width Of rows. | think
that on lands that will not bring more than
thousand or twelve hundred pounds Of cot
ton to the acre, three feet is the proper dis
tance for the rows to be placed apart.
The physical condition and chemical
changes effected BY only subsoiling, is no
where more apparent than in the cultivation
Of the cotton plant. II is well ascertained
fact, that any material acceleration or re-
tardation in the growth Of the c0tton plant
will cause il to drop its forms. The condi.
ton Of the soil best calculated 10 furnish the
J greatest amount Of nutritiye matter, and to
produce the most uniform state as to moist.
ure, temperature aud permeability, will in
.staII aE nar
The mechanical changes effected BY thorough
subsOiIing. consists in creating system Of
small capillary vessels to the depth OF eight
! or ten inches. operating as 50 many small
tubes. which by capillary attraction draws
the moisture from depths beneath and ab.
serbs the moisture and gases from the atmos.
phere. A non conducting medium, or near
iy so, is created TO the depth Of the earth
subsoileJ, obstructing the burning rays Of
the sun in summer, and the retention OF the
J moisture of the earth. The great permea.
bility Of the soil enables the plant to send its
rootlets to a greater depth in search for
food. When the soil is deeply pulserized.
!. il is able to absorb a much greater amount
of rain water, thereby preventing washing
Of the land, and drowning Of the plant. Now,
as the soil takes up more water, evaporation
prevented, drought does not SO easily effect
the growing plant.


Il will be seen that in proportion TO the
fineness Of the soil, and the depth it is pul.
yeriled, the greater will be the surface acted
upon BY atmospherical and electrical inhu
ences; consequently. a greater amount Of
/. nulritiye matter will be assimilated and "a.
ken up by the roots Of the plants in search
after food.


/ The height Of the beds preparatory TO the
reception Of the soil depends very much on
the quality Of seed the land is level, and the
soil close and fine, the beds cannot be thrown
up too high. II the land Is level and the soil
coarse and sandy, then moderate or medium
height is best. Uplands that are light and fri
able do not require TO be raised much above
a level but uplands having tenacious clog.
" soil, such as the prairie lands. ought to be
bedded pretty high 80 as TO protect the plants
, until the water can be absorbed. have al.
ready said, that in making the beds the land
!, should be plowed as deep as possible. From
, the first 10 the fifth Of April is the best time
TO commence planting, which should be done
by running small scooter forrow exactly in
the middle Of the bed, covering with har-
row. The seed ought 70 be drilled pretty
thick 70 insure a good stand aud to enable


the hands to make speed in running around
: the first time.


The cultivation Of the cotton plant is an
operation Of the greatest importance--that
. system Of culture which will insure the
i greatest uniformity Of condition as regards


warmth and moisture. at The same time giy.


Ing the greatest amount Of play TO the cleo