92 
CULTIVATION OF COTTON, 
expansion of the four internal cells containing the cotton ; 
and the process continues onward till winter. At first the 
cotton in the cells is a moist, pithy-like substance, but 
gradually, under the influence of the sun, assumes a dry, 
fibrous, woolly-like character, and hangs nodding from the 
pericarp ready to be gathered. 
Before we proceed to consider the subject of picking, 
we must say something about rains and dry weather. In 
the early part of the planting season, and indeed up to the 
opening of the bolls, light rains, refreshing seasons," at 
intervals of eight or ten days, are very acceptable; hnt 
after the opening of the bolls commences, lighter showers 
at longer intervals are altogether sufficient. Indeed, the 
only rain desired is just a sufficiency to keep the plant 
alive — to prevent its shedding its foliage to such an extent 
as to expose the young and partially developed bolls too 
much to the sun. Long-continued drought in June and 
July will cause shedding of the forms and may prove dis- 
astrous. After the middle of September, dry weather can 
do no material injury, but is rather advantageous. 
Heavy, drenching, long-continued rains are always 
more or less injurious. Should they occur when the cot- 
ton is young, it will be to a great extent drowned out, 
and the stand destroyed. The plant will also be much 
more liable to rust and sore-shin. Coming on later in the 
season, when the plant is covered with bolls and forms, 
heavy rains will cause what is known as the second growth. 
The plant will grow large and tall, its foliage will be dense 
and green, and the consequence is that a large part of the 
bottom bolls will be rotted, and the top bolls, from an ex- 
cess of sap, will fail to come to maturity in time to escape 
the blighting influence of frost. 
