Cotton 341 



cotton. They turn pink, through the day and close towards 

 nightfall. The flowers are normally self fertilized, though 

 considerable cross fertilization is brought about by the 

 visits of insects, humming birds, etc. 



501. Preparing Land for Cotton. Cotton farmers are 

 not agreed as to the comparative advantages of flat 

 breaking, listing, or double listing in preparing land for 

 a cotton crop. Deep fall breaking of cotton land is very 

 desirable, but is often prevented by delays in picking the 

 previous crop. This condition can be partially avoided 

 by rotating cotton with small grains, cow peas, peanuts, 

 or corn, but unfortunately much land is planted to cotton 

 from year to year. 



502. Seedage. Seed are often planted on "the level" 

 on harrowed land. In very dry windy sections, the seed 

 ^,re put in slight lists, while in moist sections subject to 

 excessive rains, the seed is planted on slightly raised beds. 

 Formerly it was the practice to sow cotton 'seed by hand 

 in drills, using 2 to 3 bushels per acre. Now, owing to the 

 regularity of dropping and covering by machine planters, 

 only a fourth to a half bushel of seed is used to plant 

 an acre. This thinner seeding is not only best for the 

 young seedlings, but greatly reduces the expense of subse- 

 quent thinning. 



503. Fertilizing Cotton. Lint cotton makes an ex- 

 ceedingly light draft on the necessary mineral food ele- 

 ments stored in the soil. (Fig. 45). The seed, however, 

 draw more heavily than any other field crop on the supply 

 of nitrogen, phosphates, and potash. It is probable 

 that the very general habit of selling the cotton seed off 

 the farm is doing more to exhaust the natural fertility of 

 southern farms than even the washing or leaching of the 

 soil. The soils of the older Southern States were once 



