FIELD CROPS FOR THE COTTON-BELT 



In the coastal pine-belt, where the soils are usually well 

 drained and likely to be droughty, the land is thoroughly 

 plowed several weeks before planting and is prepared 

 level, no ridges being formed. 



518. Time of planting. In practice the seed-cane 

 is planted in either fall or spring. In Louisiana, southern 

 Mississippi and in parts of Florida fall planting is desira- 

 ble. Usually better weather conditions for planting are 

 secured in the fall. Fall planting avoids the practice of 

 windrowing or bedding the seed-canes for spring planting. 

 Also fall-planted canes sprout quicker in the spring and 

 fewer eyes are lost during the winter. In Louisiana plant- 

 ing begins in the fall as soon as the plants reach sufficient 

 maturity and continues until the grinding season in No- 

 vember. The areas that are not planted in the fall are 

 planted in February or March. Throughout the greater 

 part of the pine-belt, sugar-cane is planted chiefly in the 

 first half of March. 



519. Method of planting. In planting sugar-cane 

 the practice varies from planting whole cane to planting 

 a single joint every fifteen inches to two feet. In the cane- 

 growing regions of the United States the common practice 

 is to plant the whole cane. There are some planters, how- 

 ever, who believe that the seed-canes should always be 

 cut; otherwise the eyes that sprout first will draw strength 

 from the unsprouted eyes on the same stalk and therefore 

 either prevent their coming up or cause them to produce 

 weak plants. The Louisiana Station has shown this belief 

 to be erroneous. On the other hand, cutting serves to in- 

 troduce fermentation and -decay. If the seed-canes are 

 crooked they should be cut in two or more pieces so that 

 they will lie flat in the furrow. 



In Louisiana a furrow is opened in the top of each 



