GOVERNOR HAMMOND'S REPORT. 23 



not been properly prepared, or remarkably dry, it will im- 

 prove by hot or dry weather but corn having superficial 

 roots, should be planted early as possible, that it may ripen 

 before drought sets in. If cotton will make 1000 Ibs. per acre, 

 when planted late in May, there can be no fears to plant 10th 

 April. The farmer can place his land in excellent order 

 have his corn cleaned handsomely, and when cotton is up, ho 

 can rush it to the utmost. We request our friend H. to plant 

 one acre of cotton, even now, after his seeing this, on a piece 

 of well-ploughed land, in the same field that he has now even 

 scraped over; just open out furrows where the cotton now 

 stands, which will destroy the cotton that has been scraped. 

 Our impression is, that the difference will be very slight, and 

 if adopted generally would give considerable time to manure, 

 plough, and improve, instead of giving cotton the additional 

 working necessary. The land that we have known planted 

 late, would not, in average seasons, make anything like one- 

 third more, by early planting, and if the extra labor was ap- 

 plied to improving it, we doubt, if it would yield as much. 

 Understand, we do not advocate either late or early plant- 

 ing that is, after the 25th of April or before 1st and only 

 wish to show there is not so vast a difference between planting 

 1st of April and 1st of May. What would be the gain to any 

 farm by the extra month's work ? 



Report of the Committee of the Barnwell Agricultural 

 Society, on the Culture of Cotton. 



The ground cannot be too well prepared for Cotton. If it 

 had rested one year, it should be broken flush, as early in the 

 previous fall as possible, and spaded just before planting. If 

 it has rested two years, or been planted the preceding year, 



