FARM PEACTICE m THE CULTIVATION OF COTTOK. 



23 



Weeds are very troublesome in the Delta, and more cultivation 

 is given cotton here after planting than in any other region surveyed. 

 Just after the cotton comes up it is usually harrowed with a spike- 

 tooth harrow or with a 1-horse harrow-tooth cultivator. After this, 

 cultivators equipped with sweeps are largely used, 1-horse implements 

 predominating. The 1-horse 5-shovel cultivator equipped with small 

 sweeps instead of shovels is the most popular. The 2-horse spring- 

 tooth cultivator and 2-horse 4-shovel cultivator, with sweeps and 

 shovels, and the 1-horse 2-shovel cultivator are also extensively used. 

 Cotton is cultivated every week or 10 days during the growing 



Fig. 12.— a cotton field, showing the rows of plants in ridges. At the last cultivations it is customary 

 to plow a little dirt toward the plants, leaving them slightly ridged up. 



season, a total of 9 or 10 cultivations being given. The crop is 

 chopped to a stand at the second cultivation, and then hoed once 

 or twice more during the season to chop out any weeds and extra 

 stalks of cotton. 



No cover crops are grown, but where organic matter is added to 

 the soil in any way the crop yields are increased. 



The principal varieties of cotton grown are Trice, Simpkins' Pro- 

 Hfic, Dodds, Metcalf, and Express. 



The most prevalent and troublesome weeds are nut-grass, crab- 

 grass, cocklebur, morning-glory, Johnson grass, careless weed, and 

 coffee weed. 



