32 COTTON PLANTER'S MANUAL. 



half made, so much regard I place upon thorough tilth and 

 thorough preparation. 



With profound respect, I am, honored sir, yours, 



COLO. 



SECTION IV. REMARKS ON THE CULTIVATION OF COTTON. 



From the Southern Cultivator. 



1. Preparation of Land. 



IN writing out the detailed plan I pursue in the cultivation 

 of cotton, I must begin I suppose on the 1st of January, so as 

 to carry your readers regularly through. I will endeavor not 

 to be tedious, yet I cannot possibly be minute, without at least 

 being tiresome to somebody and there is always somebody, 

 who already knows everything. 



For ten years past, I have thrashed down all cotton stalks, 

 cut down all corn stalks, and turned them under as well as 

 possible with a turning-plough. When planting cotton after 

 orn, I strive to break up the land with two-horse ploughs 

 what I term flushing, that is, breaking up in thirty to fifty- 

 feet beds. Last year I broke up every acre of land I planted, 

 with two-horse ploughs, whether planted in cotton, corn, oats, 

 or potatoes. 



If my land has been in cotton, I generally open out water 

 furrows, deep, with a shovel-plough, to this I throw two fur- 

 rows, one on each side, with one or two-horse turning-ploughs. 

 Thus the land remains until a day or two before I wish to 

 plant, when I have the balk broken out, thus having fresh 

 earth to plant upon and yet firm earth for the seed to be 

 planted in. There will be a narrow ridge of earth, not cov- 

 ered by the fresh earth, but I invariably run an iron-tooth 



