FARM PEACTICE IN THE CULTIVATION OP COTTON". 17 



Land is plowed deeper in this division than in the other areas 

 studied. This is probably due to the fact that the soils are pre- 

 dominantly of a sandy type, and soils of this texture are, generally 

 speaking, broken deeper than clay soils. 



In this division it wiU be noted that more tillage is given after 

 plowing and before planting. This is due primarily to the use of a 

 fertihzer distributor, which is not so extensively employed in other 

 divisions. 



The Intermediate areas include Giles County, Tenn., Monroe 

 County, Miss., St. Francis County, Ark., and Lincoln Parish, La. 

 In each of these areas there are varying conditions. Part of the 

 land in each region is roUing and rough, with irregularly shaped fields 

 and small farms, and part is broad level bottom land divided into 

 large farms. The upland rolHng farms are usually worked by the 

 owners or by tenants who supervise their own work. Crop yields 

 are not so good as on the bottom-land farms, which are often very 

 large and are usually worked by tenants under the supervision of the 

 owner or a hired manager. 



Little uniformity is found in these areas with regard to general 

 conditions and tillage practice. 



The Southwestern division includes Texas and Oklahoma. Five 

 areas were surveyed in this division. Here the predominating soil 

 type is a clay loam. Most of the farms are operated by the owners 

 or by tenants who supervise their own farming. Heavier teams and 

 implements are employed both for preparing the land and for culti- 

 vating the crop. The land is comparatively fertile, and httle or no 

 commercial fertihzer is used. The crop yields are probably gov- 

 erned here more by chmatic conditions than by soil f ertihty or tillage 

 practice. 



The depth of breaking land and the amount of tillage given both 

 before and after planting are about the average, yet crop yields are 

 below the normal average for other areas studied. This is prob- 

 ably due primarily to scant rainfall, 



GENERAL FARM PRACTICES AND CONDITIONS. 



SURVEY IN PEMISCOT COUNTY, MO. 



Pemiscot County is located in the extreme southeastern part of 

 Missouri along the Mississippi River. The tillage records for this 

 county (Table XI) were taken near Caruthersville. This is a typical 

 Delta region. The soil and subsoil are a silty clay loam and very 

 fertile. No commercial fertilizer is used, and stable manure is not 

 considered valuable. The country is exceptionally flat, and the soil 

 is such that no surface or tile drainage is required. The excess 

 water is collected by broad open ditches and runs into central canals, 

 which are dug by the county. 

 70799°— Bull. 511—17 3 



