160 COTTON 



other crop where inter-culture is necessary. One 

 objection to the one-horse plow is that it runs 

 down into the soil where the feeding roots are, and 

 there it does positive harm, for it injures some 

 roots, ruins a great number of others, and con- 

 sequently lessens the feeding ability of the plant. 



But that other phase : that important question of 

 labor! Have you thought how expensive the one- 

 horse plow is as a cultivating tool ? A man and a 

 horse! Up and down the row, once, twice, three 

 times, and even four times, to do work which might 

 be done and done well in half the time and with 

 half the labor if a really good cultivating tool were 

 employed. 



HOW DEEP SHALL WE CULTIVATE? 



The point in this: Roots serve as supports for 

 the plant and hold it in the soil; they get the mois- 

 ture and food for its growth. All are needed for 

 work. In the life of the plant the surface-feeders 

 have their work to do, work of just as great impor- 

 tance as that done by those which creep down into 

 lower depths, where harm is further removed. 



But suppose you cultivate deeply, as is the com- 

 mon practice. What then? Just what we have 

 already said the roots are torn away and the feed- 

 ing ability of the plant is lessened and permanently 

 injured. 



It follows then that cultivation should be shal- 

 low. One inch or two, just deep enough to do good 

 work, is what we want. If you think you must 

 cultivate more deeply than this, let the work be 

 done in the season while the plants are still young 

 and before their roots have extended out in all 

 directions. 



