92 WALL'S MANUAL 



of the seasons, and the difference in the land, must 

 have necessarily so much .to do in settling this ques- 

 tion. As a general rule, keep the earth loose and well 

 stirred ; the early workings to be deep and close, and as 

 the crop comes on, and the fruit begins to anpear, let 

 these workings be less dose and shallower, keeping 

 the soil soft and clean. 



It is of great importance to work this crop late, and 

 it should not cease until the branches lock, or the 

 cotton begins to open. It is not necessary to pile 

 the earth, in large quantities, about the roots of 

 cotton, but the tendency of all the workings, to push 

 some earth under, and up to the plants. The late 

 workings should be very shallow, so as not to break the 

 roots of the plant. 



SELECTION OF SEED. 



The selection of seed is an interest not to be disre- 

 garded. Planters have been humbugged a great deal 

 by dealers and speculators in seed, yet we w^ould 

 greatly err to conclude no improvement could be 

 made. We should, how r ever, save ourselves from this 

 sort of imposition, and improve our own seed by 

 going into the field and picking, each year, from some 

 of the best formed and best-bearing stalks, and thus 

 keep up the improvement. Great benefit may often 

 be derived by changes of seed in the same neighbor- 

 hood, from difference of soil, and occasional changes 

 from a distant and different climate. 



The picking, ginning and packing of cotton is re- 

 duced to such a speedy and scientific operation that 

 it is unnecessary to treat of them in a work of this 

 kind. 



