FARM PRACTICE IK THE CULTIVATION OF COTTON". 
The rotations practiced in the South are such that cotton generally 
follows a cultivated crop, and most of the land is plowed in the spring. 
Many heavy rains occur during the winter months, and when land 
is plowed in the fall it is hard to prevent erosion. This is particu- 
larly true in the areas having a clay or clay-loam soil and a rolling 
topography. An- 
other reason — and 
probably the princi- 
pal one — why more 
land for cotton is 
not plowed in the 
fall is because the 
previous crop is not 
harvested in the fall 
in time to permit 
such plowing to be 
done. 
It is customary 
when plowing in the 
fall to plow the land 
slightly deeper than 
if plowed in the 
spring. For all the 
areas surveyed the average depth of fall plowing is 6 inches, while 
the average depth of spring plowing is 5^o inches. 
Table IV. — Tillage practices with cotton in nineteen regions surveyed, shotting data in 
regard to plowing. 
Fig. 3.— A stalk cutter. By using this implement before plowing, the 
stalks and other vegetable matter on the land are chopped up so that 
they decay more readily and do not interfere with cultivation. 
Region surveyed (fig. 1). 
Fall plowing. 
Spring plowing. 
Farmers plow- 
ing land — 
Plows used by farmers. 
Key 
let- 
ter. 
Count y, State, etc. 
Farmers 
practic- 
ing. 
Depth. 
Farmers 
practic- 
ing. 
Depth. 
Level. 
Into 
beds. 
1- 
horse. 
2- 
horse. 
3- 
horse. 
4- 
horse. 
A 
B 
C 
D 
E 
F 
Pemiscot, Mo 
Mississippi Delta. . 
Robeson, N. C 
Mecklenburg, N.C. 
Barnwell, S.C 
Pike, Ga 
Per cent. 

16 
4 
52 

56 
16 
12 


4 

8 
8 

68 
8 
4 
92 
Inches. 
...... 
n 
6| 
6T 
5 
:::::::: 
6 
4" 
10 
5 
k 
6 
Per cent. 
103 
84 
96 
48 
100 
44 
84 
88 
100 
100 
96 
100 
92 
92 
100 
32 
92 
96 
8 
Inches. 
5 
5 
6| 
54 
6~ 
51 
' 7 
5J 
7 
4 
4 
54 
4| 
44 
5 
4 
5 
P.ct. 
60 
24 
56 
80 
100 
80 
100 
100 
95 
4 
4 
72 
60 
52 
28 

8 
20 
92 
P.ct. 
40 
78 
44 
20 

20 


4 
95 
96 
28 
40 
48 
72 
100 
92 
80 
8 
P.ct. 


°4 
52 
12 
4 

32 
56 

28 

48 
32 


12 
P.ct. 
76 
76 
64 
88 
48 
88 
92 
96 
68 
44 
4 
72 
60 
52 
68 
80 
96 
84 
12 
P.ct. 
24 
8 

8 


4 
4 



- 
36 





36 
P.ct. 

13 




G 
Tift, Ga : 

H 
I 
J 
K 
Giles, Tenn 
Bulloch, Ga 
St. Francis, Ark... 
Ellis, Tex 



96 
L 
M 
N 

P 
Q 
R 
s 
Chambers, Ala 
Johnston, Okla 
Jefferson, Fla 
Lincoln Parish, La. 
Lavaca, Tex 
Houston, Tex 
Monroe, Miss 

-4 


20 
4 
4 
48 
a Five-horse plow. 
