COTTON 121 



so doing. If this broadcast plowing is done in the fall, the 

 soil may be plowed up into ridges or beds in the spring ready 

 for planting. The best cotton growers are rapidly adopting 

 this plan of " double preparation '' of the soil — first plowing 

 and then ridging. A crop of green manure may be grown on 

 the land after the fall plowing. This is particularly desirable 

 if the soil is very light. Small grains, winter vetch or 

 crimson clover may be used. 



The ridges may be formed in spring either with a turn- 

 ing plow or with a disk-harrow if the field has been first 

 plowed in the fall. The plan of forming low ridges or beds 

 with the disk-harrow is better, more rapid and less expensive. 



The rows for planting are marked off with a shovel plow 

 and commercial fertilizer is usually distributed in this row. 

 Simple drills are also in use which form the furrow, spread 

 the fertilizer and then draw some soil over it. 



Fertilizers for Cotton. — The crop of cotton itself is not 

 hard on the soil if the cotton seeds or their equivalent be 

 returned to the field. The cotton seed is fed to stock and 

 the stable manure is returned to the field without much 

 loss in fertility. If the seed is sold, the grower should buy 

 enough fertilizer to take its place. For every 100 pounds of 

 cotton seed sold a return should be made of 3 pounds nitro- 

 gen, 1 pound phosphoric acid and 1% pounds potash. In 

 addition to this a liberal allowance should be made for losses 

 from the soil by washing and leaching. If green manures 

 are used by growing legumes, the nitrogen supply will be 

 kept up and humus will be formed. Most cotton soils have 

 an abundance of potash; but they respond readily to increased 

 applications of phosphoric acid, increasing the yield of bolls 

 and lint, and forcing earlier ripening. Too much nitrogen 

 may cause a rank, " weedy " growth with little cotton. Too 

 much potash delays the ripening of the crop. 



Planting. — The distance between cotton rows is 3K to 4 

 feet, and 12 to 18 inches are allowed between plants in the 

 row. Allow about 1 to 1% bushels of seed per acre to insure 



