that they should be— not that the land is poor, but that earlier crops may 

 be procured. At present it is sufficient to call attention to the fact that 

 it has been the uniform experience of experiment stations and planters in 

 the eastern part of the belt that certain fertilizers, especially those involv- 

 ing a large percentage of phosphoric acid, have a strong tendency toward 

 hastening the maturity of the plants. 



The recommendations above made constitute the essential steps in 

 the cultural system of averting damaoc b}' the boll weevil. In addi- 

 tion to these steps, however, all operations which assist in the growth 

 of the crop are of decided advantage in regions infested by the boll 

 weevil. There is thus a distinction 1)etween the cultural system of 

 averting damage ))y the boll weevil and the proper system of cultiva- 

 tion of cotton. The terms are by no means s3nionymous. As a matter 

 of fact the cultural system of averting damage ])y the boll weevil in 

 some cases implies operations that would not be the proper ones in all 

 cases for the production of the largest crop were the pest not present. 

 This is especiall}" the case in the earl}' fall destruction of the plants, 

 and also to .some extent in the selection of earh' maturing varieties 

 and in early planting itself. 



A number of devices are possible for hastening the maturity of the 

 crop in addition to those mentioned. For instance, thorough prepara- 

 tion of the land before planting is of ver\' great importance; the pack- 

 ing of the soil b}^ means of a roller immediately after the seed is 

 planted insures rapid germination, and consequent!}" also assists in 

 advancing the maturit}" of the crop. 



Necessarily the proper application of fertilizers is a complicated 

 matter. Only the most general rules are possible for all conditions. 

 The different soils on single farms require different compositions. 

 Nevertheless, it can be stated that acid phosphate is the principal 

 ingredient that the cotton plant requires, and that it has a very impor- 

 tant function in hastening maturit3\ It also largely controls the action 

 of the other essential elements, nitrogen and potash. The w^ork of the 

 southern experiment stations has shown that the nearest approach to 

 a general formula for all soils is one that provides 10 per cent of 

 available phosphoric acid, 3 per cent of ammonia, and 3 per cent of 

 potash. This proportion is reached approximately by mixing 1,200 

 pounds of acid phosphate with 600 pounds of cotton-seed meal and 200 

 pounds of kainit. 



The cultural means of obtaining an early crop, such as thorough 

 preparation of the soil, selection of variet3% early planting, fertiliza- 

 tion, and cultivation will be dealt with fully in a Farmers' Bulletin, by 

 Dr. li. J. Redding, director of the Georgia Agricultural Experiment 

 Station, which will soon be issued. 



216 



