380 INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS 



grass sod which has grown during the year is hoed down 

 into alleys, and the bed formed upon it, keeping the bot- 

 tom as solid as possible. 



If the plow were substituted for the hoe, twice as much 

 manure could be made ; or what, in my opinion, would be 

 far more economical than digging muck or keeping so 

 many cattle merely to make manure, would be the use of 

 guano. As this substance contains the same fertilising 

 properties of muck, in an hundred fold degree, I would 

 most earnestly recommend planters to try the experiment 

 by applying about 200 lbs. to the acre, plowed in deep, or 

 buried in the bottom of the cotton or corn beds. Make 

 use of none but the best Peruvian, and purchase it from 

 a reliable merchant, so as to be sure it is genuine. 



It is true that cattle are easily kept here, living in 

 winter in cotton and clover fields, eating the unmatured 

 bolls of the former and stalks of the latter. In warm 

 winters, there is much grass, and in summer, I believe, 

 it is rather abundant throughout all the south. 



Cotton is planted from March 20th to April 10th, upon 

 high beds, five feet apart one way, and from eight to 

 twenty-four inches apart the other. Corn is planted about 

 the first of April, upon the same kind of beds, from two 

 to four feet apart. Sweet potatoes are planted the latter 

 part of March ; also upon same kind of beds as the cotton 

 and corn. As soon as the vines are sufficiently grown, 

 say on the first of June, they commence planting the "slip 

 crop." This is done by taking the vines from the seed 

 beds, and laying along the top of other beds, and covering 

 a part of the vines with dirt, when they immediately take 

 root, and grow a better crop than from the seed. The bed 

 is made rich and mellow, but the land below is kept as 

 hard and firm as possible. The beds for cotton, corn, and 

 potatoes are all made in the same manner and distance 

 apart, and are reversed every other crop ; that is, changed 

 into the alleys of the preceding one, but no rotation of 

 crops is practised. The average yield of potatoes, is 

 about 150 bushels to the acre. Cotton, (long staple,) 135 



