• FARM PRACTICE IN THE CULTIVATION OF COTTON. 31 



with a stick. The land is broken level in the early spring. Both 

 1-horse and 2-horse plows are used, about half the land being broken 

 with each. If the land is rough after breaking, which is not often the 

 case, a disk harrow is used. After plowing, the rows are laid off, 

 usually without any further preparation, with a 1-horse shovel plow, 

 the fertilizer is applied in this furrow with a distributor, and a bed is 

 made on the fertilizer by throwing a furrow from each side with a 

 turning plow. Cotton is then planted on this bed with a 1-horse 

 planter, which tears down the bed and leaves the cotton only a 

 few inches above level. The rows average 4 feet apart and ] bushel 

 of seed is planted per acre. After thinning, the stalks are left from 

 12 to 18 inches apart in the drill. 



For cultivating the cotton 1-horse sweeps are employed. The 

 first cultivation is given about two weeks after planting and a 1-horse 

 20-inch sweep is used, giving two furrows to each row. The cotton 

 is then chopped to a stand. The next cultivation is with a 22-inch 

 sweep, giving two furrows to the row and one furrow in the middle 

 with a 1-horse 8-inch shovel. After this, 1-horse 22 and 24 inch 

 sweeps are employed, giving two furrows to each row. In aU six or 

 seven cultivations are given. After chopping, the cotton is usually 

 gone over with a hoe twice, to take out any weeds or extra cotton 

 stalks. The hoe work is done mostly by women and children; 



No cover crops are grown, and little stable manure is produced. 

 Organic matter is supphed by plowing under crop residues and weeds. 

 Commercial fertihzer is used extensively, the average appHcation 

 for cotton on the farms visited being 666 pounds per acre. About 

 half this is applied before planting and the rest at the second or third 

 cultivation. Nitrate of soda is often used as a top-dressing and 

 appUed at the second or third cultivation. 



The principal varieties of cotton grown are Toole, King's Improved, 

 and Cook's Improved. 



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

 grass, cocklebur, wild coffee, and nut-grass. 



SURVEY IN. PIKE COUNTY, GA. 



Pike County is located in the west-central part of Georgia. The 

 tillage records for this county, Table XVI, were taken near Zebulon. 

 The soil of this area is a reddish-colored clay loam with a clay subsoil. 

 The county is very rolhng. Many surface ditches and terraces are 

 required to carry off the surface water and prevent erosion. 



This county has many rural improvements. Most of the roads 

 have been improved with sand and clay and are kept in good condi- 

 tion. Good country schools are maintained. The average farm 

 contains 144 acres, of which 96 acres are cultivated. Most of the 

 farms are operated by their owners or by tenants who pay a cash 



