The Bulletin. 5 



after year will surely result in wearing out the important elements of 

 plant-food for that crop, as well as to deplete the supply of humus, 

 which is so necessary to every soil. To grow the same crop con- 

 tinuously also gives every opportunity for the insect pests of that 

 crop to multiply undisturbed until they become destructive enough 

 to ruin it. Crops with different requirements should follow one 

 another continuously so as to keep something growing on the land all 

 the time. 



In some respects cotton is unfortunate in regard to rotation for 

 insect pests, for if we rotate in such a way as to avoid one, we are 

 liable to play directly into the hands (so to speak)' of another. If 

 cotton follows a growth of weeds and grass, serious damage by Cut- 

 worms may be expected, especially in our piedmont counties and on 

 clay lands. If cotton follows cowpeas, it is liable to be damaged 

 by the Cowpea-pod Weevil, while if cotton follows corn it is likely 

 to be attacked by the Cotton Root-louse. The grower must, therefore, 

 be sufficiently watchful and intelligent to know whai his serious pests 

 are, and must then choose such system as will give the least op- 

 portunity to his worst pests. Carefully studied out and used, the 

 rotation of cotton with other crops can be made quite effectual in 

 avoiding Cut-worms, Cowpea-pod Weevil, Root-louse and Red Spider 

 (or Rust-mite), and to a lesser extent it may be helpful against the 

 Cotton Leaf-louse. 



Plowing. — In plowing the land preparatory to planting cotton, the 

 soil should be broken deeply. Gradual deepening from year to year 

 is better than to plow deeply all at once. The deepening of the soil 

 furnishes more food for the plant and enables it to grow rapidly so 

 that it does not succumb so quickly to insect attack. Deep plowing 

 also destroys weeds and grass which may harbor Cut-worms, exposes 

 and destroys the pupae of the Boll-worm, and it disturbs any insects in 

 the soil which may attack the plant beneath the surface. 



Deep Fall Plowing may be used to bury the remnants of the crop 

 as a check to the Red Spider, or perhaps, to disturb underground 

 pests, such as the Root-louse, and to destroy the pupae of the Boll- 

 worm. 



Plowing in Winter or Early Spring will leave the ground bare for 

 a time before planting, which tends to drive away Cut-worms, and 

 will also destroy many pupse of Boll-worms. 



Preparation Of Soil. — If the soil be prepared deeply and finely 

 so as to form a good seed bed the young plants will grow vigorously 

 and will quickly recover from injuries which might otherwise kill 

 them. Such careful preparation calls for much working over the 

 soil before planting, plowing perhaps both ways, harrowing, dragging, 

 etc. This is advisable merely for the sake of the crop itself even if 

 there were no insects, but the same methods serve to reduce these pests 

 also. Abundant working before planting will disturb and discourage 



