230 COTTON CULTURE 



planting most of the cultivating is usually done with the ordinary 

 frame cultivator, such as is used for cultivating corn and other 

 crops. There is also often required throughout the season consider- 

 able weeding with hand-hoes, but the necessity for this is greatly 

 lessened by the timely use of horse-implements. 



Frequency of Cultivation. The number of cultivations required 

 to keep the crop clean throughout its growing period depends upon 

 the character of the season and of the soil, and upon the timeliness 

 and thoroughness of each tillage operation. Usually, a cultivation 

 at each 10 day period, or soon after each rain, will be sufficient to 



FIG. 85. Cultivating the corn field with a weeder before the crop has come up. A similar 

 implement is very useful for the early cultivation of cotton. 



keep the crop free of grass and weeds and to preserve a well-mulched 

 soil surface. However, if the rainfall is excessive, and the land 

 extremely fertile, giving rise to abundant growths of weeds and 

 grass, more frequent cultivation will be necessary. 



Depth of Cultivation. Usually, the depth of cultivation is 1 or 2 

 inches, although if a heavy crust is allowed to form a deeper tillage 

 is required to break and mulch the surface. 



Economy in Cultivation. The most economical method of culti- 

 vating cotton is one which includes the use of the weeder, a light, 

 long-toothed harrow, such as is sometimes used for the cultivation of 

 corn (Fig. 85), and the use of two-row riding cultivators (Fig. 86). 



