THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
71 
WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 1844. 
PLOWING CORN— TOPPING COTTON. 
In tendering our acknowledgements to Mr, 
McKee, for an account of his last year’s crop, 
with which we have been quite interested, we 
desire to offer a few remarks in reference to the 
necessity of deep, subsoil plowing in the prepa- 
ration ot land for a crop, and as to the advanta- 
ges of topping cotton, and its propriety. 
The experience ol scientific and practical 
men, attest most conclusively the advantages of 
subsoil plowing in the preparation of land for a 
crop, both as a preventive against the prejudi- 
cial influence of a drouth, and an excess of rain. 
The reasoning for this system of culture, is bas- 
ed upon the plainest principles of philosophy 
and common sense, and is thoroughly sustain- 
ed by actual results. The subsoil plow, which 
we believe is scarcely, if at all, used at the 
South, is constructed for breaking the subsoil 
thoroughly, without mixing it with the soil. 
When thus prepared, the subsoil becomes an 
absorbent of the extra quantity of water that 
may fall, which it retains to be given out by 
the process of evaporation whenever the ab- 
sence of rain shall, in the economy of nature, 
render such evaporation necessary to the sus- 
tenance of vegetation. By this process, then, 
the planter converts the subsoil into a reservoir, 
which serves the double purpose of withdraw- 
ing the excess of water from vegetation in wet 
seasons, and from which nature will draw her 
supplies to sustain vegetation during the exist- 
ence of a drouth. It is indeed a beautiful theo- 
ry, and one which we are quite astonished has 
not obtained to a greater extent among Agricul- 
turists. But the progress in improvement is 
onward, and we hope the day is not far distant, 
when the South will boast as high a state of 
Agricultural improvement as any section of the 
Union. To do this, however, one of the first 
subjects which should engage the attention of 
planters, is, how they can cultivate less landl 
This is a very important - question, upon* the 
successful solution of which, depends the pro- 
gress of improvement, because it strikes at the 
root of the evil of which we complain. The ef- 
fort to cultivate a great quantity of land, not on- 
ly forbids, but positively prevents, the thorough 
preparation of land for the culture of a crop : 
and hence, a system which is begun in imper- 
fections is carried out, resulting in immediate 
loss to the cultivator himself, and prejudicially 
to the general prosperity of the country. It is 
because of this hurry and confusion in the cul- 
ture of so much land, that our lands are so im- 
perfectly prepared : hence, few, if any, can ob- 
tain their consent to make the experiment of 
cultivating less land, and doing that in a proper 
manner. 
In our opinion, when the land is thoroughly 
broken as we have suggested, vdlh the subsoil 
plow, (which should be begun, and, if possible, 
completed, prior to planting, though the break- 
ing between the rows might, in an emergency, 
be done after planting,) the subsequent culture 
of the crop should be almost exclusively a mere 
surface dressing — which, while it would effec- 
tually eradicate the grass and weeds, should by 
no means disturb the lateral roots of the crop. 
This surface-dressing also serves, by levelling 
the land, to diminish the exposure to the sun, 
and consequently lessens evaporation, which is 
also very important. Late plowing, particular- 
ly if deep, we regard as a dangerous experi- 
ment always, and rarely, or never necessary, 
when the land has been properly prepared in the 
outset of the crop. It is true, as in the case 
mentioned by Mr. McKee, it sometimes suc- 
ceeds well, because the rain came at a proper 
period; but, in the absence of a rain, we appre- 
hend no one will question that it would have 
proved disastrous. The comparison, therefore, 
between Mr. McKee’s crop and his neighbors, 
is, we think, not a just or fair one, for theirs 
wanted the proper preparation of the land in the 
commencement of the crop. 
The subject is however replete with interest, 
and should engage the earnest consideration of 
Agriculturists at the South, where improvement 
is so much needed ; but as our limits will not 
*ermit us to-day, to enter more fully upon the 
subject, we must pass to the consideration of the 
propriety ot topping cotton — upon which there 
are, we are well aware, very opposite opinions. 
Without an opportunity of testing the truth 
of our own views upon this subject, by actual 
experiments, we incline to the opinion that its 
propriety should always be determined in refer- 
ence both to the character of .the land for rich- 
ness, and also to the season, whether it be wet or 
dry, facts upon which the planter must deter- 
mine at the time. In very rich lands, or wet 
seasons, where the growth is very luxuriant 
running pretty much into stalk, without sending 
out lateral branches, we regard topping as a 
very necessary process ; but on the other hand 
in poorer soils, and a dry season, we think it 
doubtful whether it is ever needed. Of the ne- 
cessity of the process therefore, the practical 
planter will of course always determine, and in 
our opinion what might be very advantageous 
in one season, whould be prejudicial another, 
even in the same land. Upon both these sub- 
jects however, we should be much pleased to 
have the views ot our friends, and hope they 
will not withhold them. 
Jasper County, Ga., April 8th, 1844. 
Mr. Editor: — I submit to you a history of 
my crop of last year, which I desire you to give 
a place in the Southern Cultivator, ifyou think 
it worthy. 
I cultivated 150 acres of land, all fresh except 
25 acres, which was worn. There were ten 
hands employed in its cultivation. The mode 
of culture and the result, I will give you in de- 
tail, and are as follows : I was so late in the 
commencement of my crop, that I had only 8 
acres broken on the 18th of Marcti, my object 
being to manure as much as possible. I was 
compelled, for want of time, to manure in the 
drill as 1 planted, though but little was applied 
to the corn. I planted my corn by running fur- 
rows each way three feet distance, dropping 
two grains in a hill, and covered by running 
two furrows, one on each side, with a very 
small plow, and immediately broke the land 
between the rows. I then planted my cotton in 
drills three feet distance. In the drills I strew- 
ed my manure, which consisted of killed cotton 
seed and manure from my lot. I worked the 
corn and cotton successively once in three 
weeks, with the plow and hoe. The first and 
second working of my cotton, I only run round 
the f)lant; but, in chopping out, or thinning, I 
was careful not to chop so deep as to disturb the 
manure. My last thinning, which followed 
my second plowing, was done principally by 
hand. 
My corn received the last plowing and hoe- 
ing about the middle and last of June, when it 
was in the boot. This last plowing was more 
shallow than those preceding, and more distant 
from the corn. After this plowing, I had some 
dirt drawn to the plant to kill the young grass 
which had escaped the plow. 
The result of the corn crop was, a fine crop 
of fodder, and 420 barrels of corn, most of which 
was measured. 
The cotton received its last working about 
the 5th of August. I put no dirt to the cotton, 
except to cover young grass, and to replace the 
dirt which had been taken away in removing 
thd grass or weeds. I topped all my cotton, ex- 
cept a small part which was ^accidentally left, 
which gave a striking demonstration that the 
topping did no good; for that which was left, 
bowled equally as well as that which was 
topped. 
The result of the cotton crop was 48 bags, av- 
eraging 420 lbs.— the weights ol which I have 
now before me. 
There was about an equal portion of land in 
cotton and corn— say from 70 to 75 acres each. 
There are two circumstances which I wish to 
mention. They are these : Never cease plow- 
ing in dry weather, and not to risk thick corn, if 
planted late. There commenced a drought on 
the last of April, which lasted six weeks — the 
unbroke ground became hard ; even that which 
had been broken was dry as ashes, and seemed 
to threaten devastation to the famishing corn. 
Many of my neighbors desisted, for the two rea- 
sons, that they did not wish their lands broken 
in clods, or the roots of the corn broken while 
the ground was so dry. Though being firm to 
my purpose, I continued to plow as eflfectually 
as my feeble means would permit: the conse- 
quence was, that when the rain came, it found 
my ground well pulverized, and clear of grass 
and weeds, and a most flourishing growth en- 
sued. As regards the third case, after I had 
planted all my corn crop, except six acres which 
lay immediately adjoining the first planted, cor- 
lesponding, in every respect, with the other land, 
the omission or delay being on account of wet 
weather for the length of about twenty days : it 
was all treated alike as to work, and each grew 
