654 THE farmers' handbook. 



The Preparation of the Land. 



It is necessary to give careful attention to the preparation of the land. An 

 early and deep ploughing should be given ; the time depends, partly, of course, 

 upon when the preceding crop is taken off, but arrangements should be so 

 made, if at all possible, that the first ploughing should be given not later 

 than June. The land should be allowed to lie in the rough through the 

 winter, and about the end of August a cross-ploughing may be given. As- 

 planting takes place abaut the end of September, it will probably be necessary 

 to plough again in order to put the land into a good, friable condition for the 

 sowing. This spring ploughing should be only about 4 inches deep. The 

 surface soil has been sweetened and improved in fertility by the weathering 

 during the winter, and if the ploughing is too deep the sweet soil will be 

 buried and inferior soil brought to the surface. As the best conditions must 

 be provided for the germination of the seed and the feeding of the young 

 seedlings, the richer and more friable surface soil should therefore be retained 

 on the top and merely given a shallow turning. 



The soil should be in a fine, firm condition, and the harrow and roller should 

 be used to ensure that it is so. Thorough early cultivation leads to the 

 decay of trash, such as maize stalks, &c, improves the fertility of the land, 

 and tends to ensure a vigorous growth of the crop, while at the same time- 

 conserving any moisture that may fall before sowing, thus making it available 

 to augment any rain that may fall during the growth of the crop. 



A great deal of labour and time is involved in the picking of the cotton 

 crop, and this is very considerably reduced if the plants are large and 

 vigorous and carry a good number of large bolls. On the other hand, much 

 time is lost if the plants are small and poor, with few bolls. Hence the 

 cultivation, which is comparatively inexpensive, should be done carefully 

 with a view, not only to producing a heavy crop, but also of reducing the 

 expense of gathering the cotton. 



Sowing the Seed. 



Cotton seed is somewhat shy in germinating, and therefore a fairly liberal 

 seeding is required. Many growers sow only 10 to 12 lb. per acre, but more- 

 satisfactory results are obtained with 15 to 20 lb. A thin stand is unsatis- 

 factory, as it leads to a woody or vegetative growth rather than to good 

 cotton-bearing plants. A thin stand cannot be subsequently remedied, but 

 it is a simple matter to thin out the plants where the stand is too thick. In 

 cotton-growing countries thinning is recognised as an essential cultural 

 operation. 



The seed carries short fluff, and requires treatment to facilitate sowing 

 when machines are used, but if dropped by hand the fluff is not so objection- 

 able. Various methods of removing the fluff are adopted. We have found 

 that rubbing the seed in clean, sharp sand is effective. In Queensland,, 

 growers obtain a dry, hollow log which is fired inside and then placed in an 

 upright position over a tub of water. The seed is dropped through the tire 

 into the water. Another method is to dip the seed in a thin paste made of 

 clay or flour, and then dry it ; but care must be taken that the seeds do not 

 stick together while drjing. 



