476 



FIELD CROPS 



vators are replacing the one-horse ones so long in use, and 

 the harrow and the weeder are more generally used early in 

 the season. These tools pull out some of the young plants, 

 but usually they are much thicker than is necessary and those 

 that are pulled out with the harrow will not have to be hoed 

 out later. At the same time large numbers of young weed 

 and grass plants are killed, and the labor of later cultivations 



Fig. 144. Field of cotton ready for picking. Usually the first picking is made 

 before so much of the crop has opened. 



is lessened. Thin planting obviates much of the work of 

 chopping out, and the frequent use of the cultivator makes 

 hand hoeing largely unnecessary. Shallow cultivation with 

 flat blades or with small shovels is taking the place of deeper 

 cultivation with large shovels or the turning plow. Culti- 

 vation is now continued practically up to the time the bolls 

 begin to open. In this way, the crop is kept growing 



