108 CROP GROWING AND CROP FEEDING 



and leave in the stubble nitrogen enough to carry the succeeding cotton crop, 

 with the aid of the seed made by the preceding crop, or the meal exchanged 

 for the seed. For a few years in the first start o^ the improvement of a worn 

 cotton farm it may be necessary to add some acid phosphate to the cotton seed 

 rneal; this, too, can soon be dispensed with, and the only commercial fer- 

 tilizers that need be bought through the whole three years will be the acid 

 phosphate and potash for the peas. When you reach this point cotton 

 growing becomes profitable, even if the price goes lower than the ordinary 

 cropper can grow it for. Your well fed cattle will pay all the expenses of 

 your farming, and leave the manure and the cotton crop as profit. This is 

 no mere theory, for it is being done successfully, and in the hands of some 

 enterprising men the crop of winter oats has assumed an importance from 

 the great crops grown that makes them, too, an important money crop. The 

 way out of the slavery of the cotton farmer to the fertilizer mixer lies 

 through the growing of forage and the feeding of cattle, and the working of 

 his land in a systematic rotation contrived for the best success of the cotton 

 crop through making the best success with the forage crops. A permanent 

 pasture for summer is an important part of the improvement of a cotton 

 farm. Fortunately there is the Bermuda grass, a plant admirably suited to 

 the needs of the cotton farmer. It suits his soil, it suits his climate, and it 

 grows in perfect defiance of heat, and will enable him to carry through all 

 the cattle he needs for feeding in the winter. 



With a permanent pasture of Bermuda grass, the cotton farmer never 

 needs to pasture his fields where his crops are grown, but can keep them at 

 all times growing something either for sale or feeding. A profitable and 

 practicable rotation, then, for a cotton farm, will be to begin with land that 

 has yet to be improved and gotten into a more productive condition. 



First year: Cotton, with a good dressing of a complete fertilizer broad- 

 cast, at rate of 400 pounds per acre. In September sow among the cotton 15 

 pounds per acre of crimson clover and one bushel of rye. If the clover fails, 

 the rye will make a green cover crop to ward off waste in winter. During the 

 winter get out and spread all the farm accumulation of manure on the rye 

 and clover. 



Second year: Plow under the rye and clover with the manure for the 

 corn crop. Turn them under deeply, and then work the crop rapidly and 

 frequently, but perfectly level and shallow and avoid all earthing up with a 

 plow. No turning plow should ever be allowed in the corn or cotton field. 

 At last working, sow cow peas all through the corn. Gather your seed from 

 these for the next year's sowing. Cut the corn and cure in shocks and disc 

 the peas over and sow winter turf oats. 



