THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
115 
plant one acre ol cotton, even now, alter his see- 
ing this, on a piece ot well plowed land, in he 
same field that he has now even scraped over; 
just open out lurrows where the cotton now 
stands, which will destroy the cotton that has 
been scraped. Our impression is, that the diffe- 
rence will be vmry slight, and if adopted g*ene- 
rally W'ould give considerable time to manure, 
plow and improve, instead of giving cotton the 
additional working necessary. The land that 
we have known planted late, would not in ave- 
rage seasons make anythinglike one-third more, 
by early planting, and if the extra labor was ap- 
plied to improving it, we doubt, if it would 
yield as much. Understand, we do not advo- 
cate either late or early planting— that is, after 
the 25th of April or before 1st— and only wish 
to show there is not so vast a difference between 
planting Ist April and 1st May. What would 
be the gain to any farm by the extra month’s 
work 1 P. 
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE BARN- 
WELL AORICULTLTR.AL SOCIE I’Y ON THE CUL- 
TURE OF COTTON. 
The ground cannot be too well prepared for Cot- 
ton.— M it had rested one year it should be bro- 
ken flush, as early in the previous fall as possi- 
ble, and headed just before planting. If it has 
rested two years or been planted the preceding 
year, let it be listed as early as it can be done, 
and two lurrows thrown upon the list. Imme- 
diately upon planting let two more furrows be 
thrown up, and balk broken out completely. 
The common method of running three furrows, 
and planting on it, throws the winter’s portion 
of the crop-work upon the laborer, during crop 
time, and is inexcusable, unless heavy clearings 
are absolutely required. The reason for not 
listing after one year’s rest, is, that the vege- 
table matter will be too abundant and too 
coarse to form a substratum to receive the tap- 
root. 
Colk n should be planted early — It may increase 
the difficulty of getting a stand, ar.d give the 
plant, for a long time, a puny appearance, but 
every stalk of Cotton planted in March, or first 
week in April, that survives, may be readily 
distinguished, in any field that has been replriUt- 
ed later. It bears more, and earlier, and stands 
all the vicissitudes of June, July and August, 
better. There are several methods of planting. 
Your committee recommend planting in spots, 
regularly measured by the dibble. It is some- 
what tedious, though less so than is generally 
supposed, and certainly does not take as much 
time as both to drill and chop out ; nor is time 
so valuable at that period, as when the latter 
operation is required, while a belter and more 
regular stand may be secured. There is no 
land, or but little, in our district, in which cot- 
ton rows should be over three feet apart, or the 
cotton further than fourteen inches in the drill, 
one plant in a place. To make a large crop 
there must be an abundant supply of stalks. 
When the weather is too wet to plant, time may 
be otien saved by dropping the seed, but not 
covering until the ground is dryer. If, ho wever, 
it cannot be covered in three or four days, it is 
time lost, for it must be re-planted. Always 
cover lightly, under any circumstances. And 
always plant on something of a bed, in any land. 
It keeps cotton dryer, and affords more air when 
it is young. It enables you to gel at it in work- 
ing. By increasing the surface, it absorbs more 
moisture, if it is too dry ; and gives out more if 
it is too wet, and in both cases gives you the 
advantage of a vertical sun on the tap-root, 
which hastens the maturity of the bolls — a vast 
desideratum in our climate. On this account 
the bed can hardly be drawn too high at the last 
hoeing, in any season. 
In cuUivo.Ung Colton, wnh the plow 
or hoe, the chief object is to keep down the 
grass, which is its greatest antagonist, bringing 
all, or almost all other evils in its train. It is 
not so essential, in the opinion of your commit- 
tee, to keep the ground stirred, as is g-eneraliy 
supposed, and by no means requisite to stir it 
deep; at all events not to our light soil. If it 
be v/ell prepared, deep plowing is not only un- 
1 necessary for any of our crop.s, but often highlv 
injurious to them, while it rapidly e.xhausts the 
land, by turning it up fresh, under a burning 
sun. Much unnecessary pains is usually taken, 
and time lost, to work the plant in a particular 
way, under the supposition that it is a peculiar- 
ly delicate one. If it survives iis infancy, few 
plants are hardier. It is often found to reach 
maturity in the alleys, where the mules walk 
with the plows following and the laborer tramps 
backwards and forwards. Sometimes it will 
bear fruit in turnrows used frequently lor wa- 
gons, while it really seems to derive benefit from 
being bitten down almost to the ground by the 
animals, it will bear almost any usage better 
than it will that mortal enemy — grass. 
The most critical operation in working cotton 
is thinning. It should be done with great care, 
and if early, with the hand. In a dry year, it 
cannot be done loo early after the plant is up. 
In a wet one, it may be profitably delayed, until 
it has begun to form or later even. On the ex- 
perience, observation and judgment of the plan- 
ter, in this matter, everything depends, as each 
year brings its own rules with it. Where cir- 
cumstances are favorable early thinning is ot 
course the best. Some planters always top their 
cotton. Others never do. Your committee are 
of spinion, that it seldom or never does harm to 
do so. But whether it is worth the trouble, is a 
doubtful question. Those who have no clear- 
ing, or other important employ for their hands, 
would lose nothing by devoting three or four 
days to this operation early in August. Those 
pressed for time might gain by omitting it. 
'Coo much pains cannot be taken in preparing 
Cotton for market, for they are well remunerated 
by the additional price. The first thing to be 
attended to, is to have it gathered free of trash. 
With a little care wonders can be effected in 
this way ; and hands with a short training, will 
pick almost, if not quite, as much without trash 
as with it. It should never be gathered when 
wet. And here it may not be out of place to 
remark, that one af the very best sanitory rules 
of a plantation is never to send out your hands 
to pick until the dew has nearly or quite riisap'^ 
peared. It saves time in the long run, as well 
as health and life. Cotton should never be gin- 
ned, until the seed are so dry as to crack between 
the teeth. If damp, it is preferable to dry it in 
the shade, as the sun extracts the oil and injures 
the staple. It, by accident, however, it gets wet, 
there is no alternative but to put it on the scaf- 
fold. It IS of great importance to sort the cot- 
ton carefully, into several qualities, in ginning 
and packing, for by mixing all qualities togeth- 
er, the average ot tne price is certainly lowered. 
A few olJ hands or very young ones, breeding 
women, sticklers, and invalids, will earn excel- 
lent wages in a ginhouse at this occupation. 
Neat packing is of no sniali importance, in the 
sale of cotton, and no little taste may be display- 
ed in making the packages. The advantage of 
square bags is universally known and the com- 
mittee are astonished that any other should ever 
be made now. 
Every kind of manure is valuable for eolton . — 
Every kind of compost, green crops turned in, 
cotton seed and even naked leaves listed and left 
to rot, improves this crop. When planted on 
cotton seed, and sometimes on strong stable ma. 
nure, it is more difficult to retain a stand, owing 
probably to the ever stimulus of these strong 
manures. So, on leaves, unless well rotted, the 
eolton will long continue to die, in consequence 
of the leaves decaying away and exposing the 
root too much to sun and rain. These difficul- 
ties may be avoided, by a little pains, and by 
no means justify the opinion entertained by 
some, that cotton should never be planted on 
freshly manured land. The only question is 
the cost of the manure. A great deal may be 
made on every plantation, without much trou- 
ble or expense, by keeping thestables and stable 
yard, hog and cow pens, well supplied with 
leaves and straw. And also from pens of corn- 
cobs ; sweepings from negro and fowl house 
}'ards and rank weeds that spring up about 
them collected together and left to ret. When- 
ever the business is carried further, and a regu- 
lar force is detached to make manure at all sea- 
sons, and entirely left out Ironi the crop, it be- 
comes the owner to enter into a clo.se calcula- 
tion ot the cost and profiis. In many agricul- 
tural operations, such a course, the experience 
of all countries has proved to b^ profitable, but 
these operations partake rather more of the (ar- 
ming and gardening, than planting character, 
and whether the same method will do for the 
extensive planting of short staple cotton remains, 
in the opinion of your committee, yet to be test- 
ed. If anythinglike an average of past prices 
can be maintained, it is certain that more can 
be made by planting largely than by making 
manure as a crop. If, however, prices continue 
to fall, and the growing of cotton be confined to 
a few rich spots — those susceptible of high ma- 
nuring — then our whole system must be chang- 
ed, our crops must be curtailed, and staple-labor 
losing its past value, the comparative profit of 
a cotton and manure crop, will preponderate in 
favor of the latter. As a substitute for manur- 
ing on a large scale, resting and rotation of crops 
is resorted to. In our right level land, the prac- 
tice of resting cannot be too highly recommend- 
ed, and, by a judicious course, such as resting 
two and planting two, or at most three years, 
our lands may not only be kept up for ever, but 
absolutely improved. From rotation of crops 
but little is gained for cotton. After small grain, 
whether from the exhausting nature of that crop, 
on light lands, or because the stubble keeps the 
ground always rough and porous, cotton will 
not do well. After oorn it is difficult to tend, as 
from out usual manner of cultivatingcorn, grass 
is always left in full possession of the field. It 
does be.st after cotton,* or alter a year’s rest. Rest 
is the grand restorer, and the rotation chiefly 
required in the cultivation of cotton. 
J. H. Hammond, Chairman. 
ClJiiTIVATION OF CELERY, 
From Ellsworth’s Report for 1844 
New York, December 12, 1844. 
Dear Sir: The cultivation and growth of 
celery, that most excellent and wholesome win- 
ter vegetable, requires the close attention of the 
gardener to bring it to perfection. 
A practical gaidener will soon learn the art; 
and lor the benefit of those who have yet la 
learn it, 1 beg to hand you the result of my own 
experience for the last 25 years. 
In this country, it is not necessary to sow the 
seed before the month of May, and then in the 
open ground, well manured with stable dung 
thoroughly cured, and not less than a year old. 
The color, whether white or red, is a matter of 
taste. I generally mix my seed, and thus have 
both species. The seed is slow of vegetation, 
but, if good, never fails to germinate. Whether 
the seed be sown broadcast or in drills, is a mat- 
ter of no consequence; as the seed being very 
small, the plants are sure to shoot up thick. So 
soon as the sprouts have attained the height of 
an inch, they should be pricked out in a bed of 
rich mould, at the distance of about three inches 
each way from each other. You cannot have 
good strong stocky plants without pursuing this 
method. If left standing in the seedling-bed, 
they will grow spindling, weak, and consump- 
tive. No more attention is required, excepting 
that of keeping the plants perfectly free from 
weeds, until August, w'hen you will find the 
plants strong, healthy and vigorous. 
Any time in this month, dig your trenches 18 
inches deep and as many wide. For this pur- 
pose, I generally occupy the ground that has 
been used for early peas. 
The quality of the celery, and chiefly its 
growth, depend entirely upon the next step. 
The trenches should be hall filled with thorough- 
ly cured stable manure. I have found the ma- 
nure used for early hot-beds the best. It never 
fails of success. The increased fermentation of 
the manure, by the repeated waterings of the 
beds, the escape of the ammonia and noxious 
qualities of the manure, renders it sweet, and 
capable of imparting the mildeet and richest. 
