LEVEL CULTURE VS. RIDGE CULTURE 227 



of the soil is increased ; and, finally, by thoroughly breaking and pul- 

 verizing the soil in its early preparation, all subsequent tillage of the 

 cotton crop is made easier. 



Planting on Ridges or Beds. It is the custom in most cotton- 

 growing sections to plant the cotton crop on ridges or beds, which 

 are usually three to four feet wide and several inches high. Each 

 ridge is formed by throwing together four to six furrow-slices, the 

 first two forming the " list " and the succeeding furrows completing 

 the ridge or bed. If commercial fertilizer is to be used, a furrow is 

 first run to contain the fertilizer over which the ridge is later formed. 

 Planting may be done on the list formed by the first two furrows, 

 thus leaving on each side an unplowed strip or middle later to be 

 thrown or " bursted " toward the list ; or the ridge may be completed 

 at the first operation, thus leaving a clean middle. 



Planting Level. A more simple method of planting is one 

 which omits ridging and places the seed in furrows which are run 

 level with the adjacent surface by a single trip of a shallow plow of 

 either the mould-board or bull-tongue type. 



Level Culture vs. Ridge Culture. The chief advantages and 

 disadvantages of the level furrow and ridge methods of culture may 

 briefly be summarized: 



Ridge culture. 

 Advantages : 



(1) On wet lands, ridges provide somewhat a system of 

 drainage. 



(2) On lands subject to washings, ridges, if run cross- 

 wise to the slope of the land, check the removal of soil. 



Disadvantages : 



(1) Ridges cause a greater evaporation of soil moisture 

 than do the level furrows, since they expose a larger surface. 



(2) They require more labor in their formation than do 

 level furrows. 



(3) They are less convenient than level furrows to 

 . cultivate. 



Although in most sections of the cotton belt the ridge-culture 



