COTTON 159 



OTHER STEPS IN COTTON CULTURE 



While cotton moves slowly during its early 

 stages of growth, when it once takes root firmly 

 and it always means business if the soil is right and 

 warm and moist its roots go eagerly into the 

 ground, searching in all directions for plant food 

 and water. While the roots are thus foraging 

 around, growing, spreading, and lengthening, the 

 plant above the ground is not standing still. We 

 grant that at times, especially when the land is not 

 congenial because of poor preparation, coldness, 

 or much rain, cotton plants seemingly hesitate, or 

 at least move but slowly in their upward course. 

 And yet can you blame them ? Do you wonder 

 they move so slowly, tender and weak as they are 

 with dangers all about them ? Opposed to cold by 

 nature, they suffer. Then, too, greedy weeds and 

 grass continually menace and threaten them 

 throughout the entire season; so unless you care 

 for them while young and tender, and even stay 

 closely by, they lose courage and fail to meet 

 your expectations at harvest time. 



When plants are about three or four inches in 

 height, the cultivating plow may be started. The 

 hoe may now be laid aside, and the cultivator 

 pressed into service to do what work is left until 

 the maturity of the crop. 



You will act wisely if you get good tools for 

 cultivating. The modern cultivator with its many 

 shovels does the work well, and cheaply. 



But the plow the one-horse plow is not the 

 tool for the cultivating season ; better leave it under 

 the apple tree or in the stable for the chickens to 

 roost upon than bring it into the cotton field; 

 for it is not a cultivating tool for cotton or for any 



