THE DEMONSTRATION WORK 



astride the rows, as in cultivation, till the plants are 6 inches high. 

 The harrow prunes the roots a little which tends to give the plant a 

 lower and 'limber' habit of growth; it opens the soil to receive the 

 air; it promotes growth and destroys weeds/ 



"The hoe is the natural enemy of the cotton planter. It kills 

 some weeds, but it finally kills the planter financially, and as gen- 

 erally used it does not properly air the soil, which is the chief end 

 of cultivation. When the cotton plants are small, thoroughly work 

 the spaces between the rows two or three times to a depth of at least 

 4 inches. This leaves a fine seed bed for the roots to occupy and get 

 food and water. All later cultivation of plants and middles should 

 be shallow — not over an inch and a half deep. This keeps a dust 

 mulch, which checks the rising soil moisture and plant food just at 

 a depth where there are the most rootlets to utilize them for plant 

 growth. A plow is the poorest implement with which to work a 

 cotton crop that could well be used." 'Tut! tut!' said Uncle John. 

 'What you said about the hoe was bad enough and now you jump on 

 to the plow. I have used it all my life and it is a pretty good tool.' 

 Yes, you have used it all your life, and you have not averaged a third 

 of a bale of cotton per acre in all that period when on such good 

 land you should have averaged a bale. At present prices this is a 

 yearly loss of $40.00 per acre, lint and seed included. You have 200 

 acres in cotton; your losses, even at the lower prices of cotton in 

 former years have for that period exceeded $20,000. What have you 

 to show for it? Some old plows and antiquated hoes; if they have 

 not kept you poor, they have prevented you from getting ahead. 

 There is nothing on a farm that pays greater dividends than the best 

 teams and tools.' 



"Shallow cultivation should be continued as late as practicable. 

 On very rich bottom lands after the plants are thinned, to a stand, 

 bar off on each side if they show too rapid growth. This root-prunes 

 and checks a tendency to make excessive stalk. It also gives the 

 plant a hint that it must commence fruiting. 



"What I have said about cotton is true of com, only com requires 

 a deeper seed bed than cotton and different spacing for the plants. 

 The cultivation is practically the same, though local conditions of 

 soil and climate may require considerable modification in the treat- 

 ment of the corn plant. The experience of the best farmers must 

 determine this.' " 



[i86] 



