CULTIVATION 19 



plant so as to enable it to attain perfect development 

 and thus produce a crop of the best possible quality. 

 If the soil is stiff and hard, it must be thoroughly 

 broken up and loosened so that the root-system, con- 

 sisting of a long tap-root with numerous branches and 

 ramifications, may be able to penetrate it freely. If 

 it contains insufficient food-materials, recourse must 

 be had to manuring ; weeds, if allowed to grow, rob 

 the plant of food and moisture, and must therefore 

 be eliminated ; if the soil is too sandy, and conse- 

 quently lacking in moisture, supplies of humus must 

 be added. It is therefore evident that thorough 

 cultivation is of the utmost importance if satisfactory 

 crops are to be produced. The methods of cultiva- 

 tion practised in different countries vary a good deal, 

 and depend to a considerable extent on the local 

 conditions and the varieties grown. For these reasons 

 no attempt will be made to outline a general method 

 of cultivation, but the cultural systems of the United 

 States and Egypt will be reviewed in turn. 



Cultivation in the United States 



Since the United States of America is the most 

 important country of production, its methods of 

 cultivation will be considered first. 



The climatic conditions in the cotton-growing 

 districts of the United States vary widely. The 

 rainfall is, in general, adequate to the needs of the 

 crop, and irrigation is rarely practised, except in 

 Arizona and California. The rainfall usually increases 

 from the spring to the middle of the summer, and 

 then decreases, the autumn being the driest period. 



The soils met with in the cotton area are of various 

 types, ranging from heavy clays to light sandy soils. 

 As a rule, the most satisfactory results are obtained 

 on medium grades of loam. 



The land is usually ploughed as early in the year 

 as possible to a depth of not less than 8 inches, and 

 sometimes to as much as 10 or 12 inches. The 

 ploughing should not merely turn the soil, but must 

 break it up completely, so as to bring it into a state of 



