358 SOUTHERN FlELh CROPS 



plants by the one-horse cultivator used in covering these 

 seed. On some farms fall-sown oats are sown among the 

 growing cotton plants and covered as just indicated. To 

 permit the use of harvesting machinery in the oats, the 

 cotton plants, if large, are loosened in TOnter by means 

 of> a narrow plow, or by the use of a subsoil ]3low, and then 

 pulled and removed. 



336. Distance between rows. — In deciding on the 

 space between rows and ))etween plants of cotton, the 

 general rule is as follows : The richer the land, the mder 

 must be the rows and the greater the tlistance between 

 plants in the row. This rule is exactly the opposite of 

 the practice in spacing Indian corn. The reason for 

 jjlanting cotton farther ajjart on rich land is the fact 

 that cotton is a branching or spreading plant, and 

 hence on rich land requires much space for the outward 

 growth of its long laranches. On the other hand, corn 

 has no branches and may be crowded as closely together 

 as is permitted l3\' the supply of jilant-food and of 

 moisture, both of which are of course more abundant on 

 rich land. 



The usual distance Ijetween rows of cotton on upland, 

 where a crop of one half bale or less jier acre is expected, 

 is 3^ feet. On highly fertilized upland, the tlistance may 

 well he increased to 4 feet. On bottom land and other 

 very rich land, a distance of 5 feet is ad\'isable, and occa- 

 sionally even «ider rows are preferable. 



The wider the rows can be made without reducing the 

 yield, ihc cheaper is the cost of culti\-ation, since work 

 with cultivators is cheaper tluiu work along tlie rows with 

 the hoe. 



