LETTER TO HON. J. C. CALHOUN. 31 



to say the least of it. But how can the tender spongioles of 

 the root pass through stiff land in dry weather, and how can 

 the plant be sustained when only half the land is cultivated ? 



The deeper land is ploughed when the subsoil is not 

 sandy, or gravelly, if properly drained, the more room for 

 roots to search for their food, and the greater deposit of dew 

 therein, the longer to get hot, and the earlier to cool, as well 

 as holding more moisture, less liability to wash from an ordi- 

 nary rain, and the sooner the drying of the surface. 



I place two furrows on the one laid off early, that the 

 earth may consolidate cotton seed vegetating more certain, 

 and grows off more rapidly. I put off breaking out the residue 

 as long as I can, so that the surface may be clean when 

 planted, and thus grass and cotton have an equal start. I 

 use the harrow to remove all trash, clods, &c., as also to level 

 ridge. 



I prefer a ridge, with the view of having dry, warm soil 

 for the seed, as cotton grows off earlier, and is sooner out of 

 the way of droughts, as also that I can scrape down with 

 the plough, and cover young grass thinly in the middle. 



Early planting gives " sore shin" and lice ; or rather the 

 plant has so little vitality, that its natural enemies soon " take 

 away even that which it hath." 



I always strive to keep seed perfectly sound, thereby adding 

 to the vitality of the plant. I have noticed, some years the 

 stand to be worse than other years, and some men always to 

 have had the luck of bad stands. This was owing, I think, 

 to damp weather, or wet spells injuring the cotton so as to 

 injure the vital powers of the seed. 



I plant seed sparsely, because the plant becomes hardy at 

 once, and then stands almost, if not quite, as much cold as 

 corn. 



I regard a crop when planted in first-rate order, as nearly 



