112 FIELD CROPS FOR THE COTTON-BELT 



128. Broadcast tillage for cotton. — Farmers are 

 rapidly learning to appreciate the value of broadcast 

 tillage for cotton. This operation is performed by nmning 

 a weeder or Ught spike-tooth section-harrow across the 

 rows, (1) after the crop is planted but before the plants 

 are up, and (2) after the plants are up and well established 

 but before chopping. If the section-harrow is used for 

 this purpose, it should be adjusted so that the spikes slant 

 slightly backward, especially for the cultivation given 

 after the plants are up. 



There are three important advantages, in broadcast 

 tillage: (1) It thoroughly breaks the crust over the entire 

 surface of the soil, saving moisture, destroying weeds in 

 their first stages of growth, and enabling the yoimg cotton 

 plants to come through the soil easily. (2) It economizes 

 labor as by this method ten or more acres can be gone 

 over in a day. In fact, the broadcast tillage is, by far, 

 the most economical cultivation that the crop receives. 

 (3) It permits the operation of chopping to be effected 

 with less labor. Broadcast tillage is not practical if a poor 

 stand has been secured or if the land is foul with litter. 



129. Tillage by separate rows. — Before the farmer 

 begins the cultivation of his cotton, he should be familiar 

 with the following important facts: (1) Practically all of 

 the food that the plant takes up from the soil is secured 

 from that portion of the soil that is stirred in 'the prepara- 

 tion of the seed-bed. (2) The plant derives Uttle or no 

 food from that portion of the seed-bed that is kept stirred 

 as a result of tilling the crop. 



Knowing the above facts, the farmer can readily appre- 

 ciate the injurious effects of deep cultivation, especially 

 after the plants have become somewhat advanced in their 

 growth. It results in limiting the feeding roots to a small 



