554 



no fertilizer. The yields of cotton per plat and per acre, the increased 

 yield over the unfertilized plat, and the cost of the fertilizer are tabu- 

 lated. The conclusions given are as follows: 



(1) It is manifest that marked effects result from iutercnltural fertilizing, or suc- 

 cessive applicatious of fertilizers during the growing period. 



(2) Larger doses applied at planting, or during the earlier periods of growth, result 

 in early maturity of the crop. 



(3) Whenever a heavy application of a readily available fertilizer is to be made it 

 would be advisable to divide it into at least two doses and possibly more. 



The experiments will be continued the comiug season. 



Topping cotton (pp. 13-15). — For this experiment sixteen rows were 

 laid off on a piece of good land, the rows being 3.73 feet wide and 209 

 feet long. The cotton on one row of each of the four plat.s into which 

 the experimental field was divided was topped July 1 (plants 12 inches 

 in height), July 15 (24 inches), and August 1 (3o inches). The fourth 

 row of each plat was left untopped. A table shows " the weights of 

 seed cotton gathered from each row of each plat at each of the three 

 pickings, together with the total yield of each row and the estimated 

 yield in pounds of lint per acre. * * * The untopped rows made an 

 average yield of 633 pounds of lint per acre ; the rows topped July 1, 

 505 pounds; those topped July 15, 615 pounds; and those topped 

 August 1, 619 pounds. * * * It is i>lain that the topping at each of 

 the periods (July 1, July 15, and August 1) proved injurious instead of 

 beneficial, and tliat the earlier the topping was done the greater was 

 the injurious effect." 



The author is inclined to believe that the experiment might have 

 resulted differently if the plants had had more "distance." Investiga- 

 tions in this line will be continued. 



Deep vs. shallow eulture of cotton (pp. 15-17). — In the culture of cotton 

 "the weight of opinion and practice of late years has been on the 

 side of deep preparation, but shallow after-culture. There are many, 

 however, who yet hold to the idea that cotton should be plowed deep 

 and close, especially iu time of drought. * * * The object of this 

 experiment, which will be repeated indefinitely, is to determine the 

 relative effects of deep or shallow culture on the final yield of the crop." 

 Five plats of four rows each, adjoining those on which the two ex[)eii- 

 ments mentioned above were conducted, and receiving the same pre- 

 paratory treatment, " were plowed close and deep the first time. At 

 each subsequent plowing plats 1, 3, and 5 were plowed as shallow as 

 possible with a five hoe cultivator (small sweep hoes) running twice in 

 a row, and plats 2 and 4 were plowed as deep as possible with the same 

 implement, but using instead of the sweep blades five li-inch scooters, 

 set close and running three times in a row." 



The yield of seed cotton from each plat at each of four i^ickings, 

 the total yield of seed cotton per plat, and the yield of lint per acre 

 are recorded iu a table. " Calculated to yield of liut per acre, the 



