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have 17 bouvvs planted with cotton, they must have at least 43 
bouws of cotton land at their disposal. And as they grow other 
plants as well the whole amounts to 70 bouws. 
If it is then also taken into consideration, that in the case of that 
system the land is only planted onc£ in 2 years, then such an owner 
must have at least 140 bouws of farm land. 
Mules are used for ploughing, digging, weeding etc. One mule 
isconsidered sufficient for 17 bouws; as has been already mentioned 
above, the land consists of very light, sandy soil. 
The preparation of the soil, before the planting of the cotton, is 
begun with the removal of the weeds, and the cutting up of the 
cotton roots of the last harvest, after which these are heaped up and 
set fire to. All this work costs about 2 guilders per bouw. The 
uprooting costs f \ 35 per bouw. 
The land is not altogether ploughed, but in February two furrows 
are ploughed, between the. cotton beds in such a manner, that a 
trench of 17.5 — 20 c.m. is formed. Sometimes this trench is 
worked with an underground plough. Into these trenches the 
manure is put, consisting of 35 cartloads of mud and 90b; — l,2co k.g , . 
of cotton seed. 
Mud and stable dung are also used, the latter in quantities of 70 
cartloads to the bouw. Sometimes other dung is added to the 
stable dung. 
When that has been done, then the above mentioned furrows are 
ploughed, from the edges of the old cotton beds, which costs fo.j 5 
per bouw. 
With a double roller weighing about 400 k.g. the mass in the two 
furrows is simultaneously pressed hard. All this work must be 
ended by the beginning or the middle of March. The cotton-bed 
is then raised higher by ploughing. It is of the first importance 
that the cotton should be in a good dry position. 
If the soil contains too much moisture, the growth and product 
are not up to the mark. 
For this reason the soil is properly drained. The old open drains 
are gradually closed and replaced by new ones. Though this mav 
seem expensive, it has proved to be" cheaper than the old system of 
drainage. 
The ground is now ready for planting, which may be begun at 
any time after the 20th of March, but preference is given to the 
time between the 1st and the loth of April. 
Three labourers do this work. The first man digs small holes 
into the top of the bed, with a spade, at distances of from 30—45 
long and 1 20 m. broad. The next drops 8-1 o seeds into each 
hole and the third covers them up. The seeds lie about 2 c.m. 
c eep Fro nr* 2 00-2 50 litres of seeds are used per bouw. Instead 
*7 planting in little heaps, the method of planting in rows is used in 
America. The rows lie 135 c.m. from each other and with a special 
sowing machine, the seeds, 5-6 together, are put out into these 
rows at distances of 10 c.m. Later on they are thinned to equal 
distances of 40 c.m. The plants appear 8-12 days after sowing. 
I he weeding is begun about the first of May, and for the second 
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