124 PRODUCTIVE FARMING 



a good stand of plants. Planting begins about two weeks 

 later than the date of the last killing frost. March 10th or 

 15th is often the time for beginning the planting near the 

 Gulf coast; April 1st to 10th near the central latitude of 

 the cotton belt; and early May in the northern limits of 

 cotton growing. 



There are several forms of cotton planters which are not 

 expensive. A good machine will drop the seed uniformly in 

 a small furrow and cover it with an inch or two of soil. 



Exercise. Let some member of the class write to the 

 U. S. Weather Bureau, at Washington, and get a table or 

 report which will show the dates for the last spring frosts 

 for a number of years past. From this report let the class 

 determine the best date for beginning the planting of cotton. 



Cultivation. A weeder or light harrow should be used 

 over the field before planting and also after planting. This 

 broadcast tillage will prevent small weeds from getting started 

 ahead of the cotton plants and will also prevent the soil 

 from becoming crusted. A weeder should also be used over 

 the young cotton plants just before the thinning process 

 begins. This may not be advisable if the stand is thin or 

 the ground very stony or otherwise rough. Thinning of the 

 plants is usually necessary. This is done by chopping out the 

 surplus plants with heavy hoes. It is a good practice to culti- 

 vate the individual rows, setting the shovels to throw the soil 

 away from the plants, just before the thinning or chopping 

 begins. Subsequent cultivation should move the soil back 

 toward the plants. The cultivation should be frequent and 

 shallow. It is continued until about time for picking to 

 begin. When the plants completely shade the soil, a crust is 

 not apt to form and further cultivation is not so necessary. 



Harvesting. Although several machines have been 

 invented for harvesting cotton, none have come into general 

 use, and the cotton crop is picked by hand. It is the most 

 expensive part of cotton production (Fig. 62). The price 

 paid to pickers varies from 40 to 80 cents per hundred pounds 



