COTTON 200 



(1) If the cotton is grown after cotton without rota- 

 tion with a legume, more nitrogen will be needed. 



(2) Potash and phosphoric acid will be needed unless 

 liberal applications of barnyard manure are applied. 



(3) Potash will make the plant hardier and more able 

 to withstand the attacks of fungous diseases. 



(4) Phosphoric acid increases the yield of lint and tends 

 to produce early fruiting. 



(5) When plants are small and dwarfish and not well 

 fruited, apply complete fertilizer. 



(6) When the plants are of average size, but not well 

 fruited, apply acid phosphate. 



(7) If the leaves are dropping off before the fruit is 

 well formed, apply potash. 



(8) Mix the fertilizer with the soil underneath the 

 row or bed. Broadcasting fertilizer for cotton tends to 

 produce late maturity. 



197. Planting and Cultivating. The method of prepar- 

 ing the soil for planting depends largely on its texture 

 and the drainage conditions. On wet lands, poorly drained, 

 the best practice is to plant the seed on beds thrown up 

 about four feet apart. On soil that is well drained and 

 in the drier sections, level preparation of the ground is 

 advisable. The soil should be well compacted, with just 

 sufficient loose dirt on the surface to cover the seed. The 

 results of various trials at different experiment stations 

 indicate that four feet is the best average distance be- 

 tween the rows, and 12 to 18 inches is the proper distance 

 between the plants in the row. On rich bottom-land soil 

 this may result in crowding the plants so that the lower 

 branches are too much shaded. If this is true, it would be 



