38 KNAPP METHOD OF GROWING COTTON 



it grows from four to five feet high, space the 

 rows four and one half to five feet apart. It is 

 better to have the rows a little too wide than 

 too narrow. Air and sunlight are of great im- 

 portance in pushing the crop to maturity. 



Date of Planting. Cotton should be planted 

 as soon in the spring as danger from frost is 

 past and the soil becomes sufficiently warm to 

 quickly germinate the seed and insure healthy 

 and vigorous growth of the plant. The best 

 time for planting cotton along the Gulf Coast 

 is probably between the dates of March 25th 

 and April 25th. In the central part of the 

 Gulf States planting should be between April 

 loth and May 1st. In the northern part of the 

 cotton belt planting should be between April 

 2Oth and May I5th. The largest part of the 

 cotton crop is planted before the first of May 

 in the central part of the cotton belt, but fre- 

 quently fields of cotton are planted as late as 

 the middle or last of May and produce good 

 crops. On the rich alluvial lands of the Mis- 

 sissippi Valley, following overflows, cotton some- 

 times produces a fair crop even when planted 

 late in June. Extra early or extra late plant- 

 ing is not recommended. Extremely early 



