6G COTTON PLANTER'S MANUAL. 



fession among men, which is either useful or valuable, ac- 

 quires both respect and importance on account of system. 

 System is essential to certain success in every undertaking ; 

 and especially is it necessary in this the first of all profes- 

 sions. 



The principal object I have had in view, in all this manuring, 

 thorough ploughing, laying off and bedding the land previous 

 to planting the seed, has not been to plant alone ; men plant 

 abstractly, as handsomely and with the same facility, with 

 less labor; it has been done to encourage and facilitate* the 

 early and extensive growth of the fibrous and soil roots, by 

 which means the plant readily and equally early, augments 

 the extent of surface (in number and length of its limbs,) for 

 fruiting, and the consequent number of its organs of atmos- 

 pheric nutrition. The immense advantages which the plant 

 derives from an early accomplishment of an object so desir- 

 able, are at once obvious when we recollect " that the soil and 

 atmosphere offer the same kind of nourishment to the roots 

 and leaves of the plant." There can be no reasonable doubt, 

 though I possess not the means of positive measurement, but 

 that the plant multiplies its organs of atmospheric nutrition 

 in precisely the same ratio that an improved and judicious 

 system of culture facilitates the growth and prosperity of its 

 roots. There is also another interesting consideration con- 

 nected with this subject, which I esteem worthy of notice in 

 this place ; which is, that though the soil and atmosphere 

 offer the same kind of nourishment to the roots and leaves of 

 the plant, yet the character of its assimilation and consequent 

 appropriation widely differ. My own opinion is, that the 

 roots assimilate food for the production of the stems arid leaves 

 mainly, and that the leaves assimilate the same for the pro- 

 duction and maturity of the blooms and fruit. I do not claim 

 originality for this opinion ; I think I have seen it hinted at 



