JPIBRE CROPS. 273 



the soil and consequently the larger the growth of 

 the plant, the further apart the ridges. Four to live 

 feet is usual. Sometimes the space between the 

 ridges is not plowed, after-cultivation being depended 

 upon. Thorough preparation of the seed bed, how- 

 ever, is desirable. 



When the planting is done by hand a furrow is 

 opened on the top of the ridge with a small plow, in- 

 to which the seed is scattered in profusion. The seed 

 is covered about an inch deep with a light harrow or a 

 plank attached to the bottom of a small plow. Cot- 

 ton planters are now used successfully which with less 

 seed plant uniformly in straight rows — important con- 

 ditions in the after -cultivation. 



The time of planting varies with the latitude, the 

 season and the soil, from the fii'st of March to the 

 middle of May. Much of it is planted in the first 

 half of April. The richer the soil the later the plant- 

 ing may be postponed. 



The germination is very variable. In general, 

 about two weeks after the seed is planted the plants 

 will be several inches high and have three or four 

 leaves. It is then cultivated by plowing the land 

 from the cotton, after which the cottOn plants are 

 chopped out with a hoe, leaving several plants in a 

 place at distances varying with the nature of the soil 

 and consequent growth of the plant. The distance 

 may vary from ten to forty-eight inches, twelve to 

 twenty-four inches being the most common distance. 

 The plants are subsequently thinned to one or two in 

 a place. 



In the thinning the weeds or grass , in the row are 

 removed as completely as may be. At the next culti- 



