160 COTTON 
other crop where inter-culture is necessary. One 
objection to the one-horse plow is that it runs 
down into the soil where the feeding roots are, and 
there it does positive harm, for it injures some 
roots, ruins a great number of others, and con- 
sequently lessens the feeding ability of the plant. 
But that other phase: that important question of 
labor! Have you thought how expensive the one- 
horse plow is as a cultivating tool? A man anda 
horse! Up and down the row, once, twice, three 
times, and even four times, to do work which might 
be done—and done well—in half the time and with 
half the labor if a really good cultivating tool were 
employed. 
HOW DEEP SHALL WE CULTIVATE? 
The point in this: Roots serve as supports for 
the plant and hold it in the soil; they get the mois- 
ture and food for its growth. All are needed for 
work. In the life of the plant the surface-feeders 
have their work to do, work of just as great impor- 
tance as that done by those which creep down into 
lower depths, where harm is further removed. 
But suppose you cultivate deeply, as is the com- 
mon practice. What then? Just what we have 
already said—the roots are torn away and the feed- 
ing ability of the plant is lessened and permanently 
injured. 
It follows then that cultivation should be shal- 
low. One inch or two, just deep enough to do good 
work, is what we want. If you think you must 
cultivate more deeply than this, let the work be 
done in the season while the plants are still young 
and before their roots have extended out in all 
directions. 
