CULTIVATION OF COTTON. 
51 
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The Kenilworth pigs you imported for me are 
coming out beyond all expectation; and when I 
shall have had time to make a cross with 
them and Windsor Castle, and some of our great 
Miamies, I can produce something that will aston¬ 
ish the natives of the empire State quite as much 
as we of the Miami valley have been stirred up 
with Mr. Phelps’s 102 bushels of oats per acre. 
Yours, &e., R. H. Hendrickson. 
For the American Agriculturist. 
CULTIVATION OF COTTON.—No. 1. 
Log Hall , Miss., March 9, 1843. 
A. B. Allen, Esq.— Sir : I propose giving you 
a series of articles on the cultivation of cotton, go¬ 
ing over the whole matter, from plowing to sow¬ 
ing, picking and baling. I assure you, I undertake 
the matter with a degree of reluctance, not usual 
to me in such matters. This reluctance must not 
be attributable to any want of desire, but more 
from the fear, that I can not make the matter of 
that interest that is expected of me. I can say, 
there is a satisfaction in giving my aid to you in 
your exertions, as also in having a fair chance to 
talk to my brother chip, Dr. Cloud. 
In the first place I assure Dr. C., and all others 
whom it may concern, that I do practise to the 
letter the plan I point out, and that there are many 
others who pursue the same, in all its minutiae; 
we may not cultivate every year each field of cot¬ 
ton precisely alike, nor do I think it is desirable 
that the science of farming should ever be reduced 
to a mere trade, as cutting braces, or making sash. 
Individuals following farming, may have a general 
outline of proceeding usually pursued, but subject 
to variations according to the season, time of plant¬ 
ing, and ordinary health or casualties. As an in¬ 
stance ; last season I had cleaned over the first 
time, nearly 40 acres of cotton, and after commen¬ 
cing another field, I thought it best to return to this 
with plows and hoes, to give earth to the plant; 
a few days of quite cold weather having threaten¬ 
ed, as I feared, the life of the cotton. Had I con¬ 
tinued in the routine of putting in order in rotation, 
I think I might have lost that portion of my crop; 
whereas, the light earth protected it, and such 
changes must continually occur. 
Forced from want of patients to quit the “ pill 
tile,” and give up the “ spatula,” I necessarily 
sought the field, and having given it my entire at¬ 
tention, it appears to me that the mode I pursue 
is so much a matter of course, that I see nothing 
either bordering on a “ degree of perfection” or 
worthy of applause; and from this feeling I am 
induced to think, that my brother chip has an 
overseer, and enjoys “ otium cum dignitate,” or as 
we farmers say, “ lives easy.” Unless I could 
give as much interest as others have by a “ first 
trip to mill,” or one’s “ first dinner in New Orleans,” 
1 can not see that a mere talk of one’s course mer¬ 
its much thanks. 
In remarking upon the “ dilapidated appearance 
which almost every cotton plantation, of but a half 
dozen years’ standing, presents to the eye, sicken¬ 
ing under this blighting influence,” (see Dr. C’s. 
article, last paragraph page 192, Vol. III. Cultiva¬ 
tor), alluding to “ the system of culture” and 
“ meager accruing profits,” &c.; I think he is 
rather severe. It is certainly late for the discov¬ 
ery to be made, that the system contains within 
itself, “ the elements of certain destruction,” and 
strange that the poor patient has survived 50 years 
with this disease within its bosom. So far from 
this being the case, as far as my experience goes, 
we now make a larger per hand crop than former¬ 
ly. I well remember hearing of a crop of 8 bales 
per hand, much bragged of in 1831, through this 
whole region ; whereas, this has since been equal¬ 
led with an abundance of corn and pork, and no 
talk of it at that. The language of Dr. Cloud 
when on this branch of his subject, sounds rather 
like that great, little dandy, Dickens, in his “ Notes,” 
&c.; and if your readers will refer back to the 
time, when farmers were careless in your region 
of our country, they will find that other cause ex¬ 
ists for it than cotton. 
I think the mode of cultivation can be improved, 
and I think Dr. C. has touched the right key, but 
I think also, that there is more fault in the desire 
of making large crops, than in the system of farm¬ 
ing, unless he considers it a part of the system; 
and if he does, he only adds fuel to the fire; that 
is now (according to his opinion) wasting his patient 
away. The fond hope of making 5,989 pounds of 
seed cotton, would run us all mad—we would not 
take time to cook—Sunday would be in name, and 
our nights would be turned to day, if burning 
cane in the cotton-fields, could make light enough 
by which to work. Our peculiar crop requires 
the whole year to get it available, if a large crop. 
One of my neighbors is now really absent, selling 
his last crop, while his hands are planting this 
crop (not cotton, but corn, &c.); we therefore have 
not the leisure to improve. Yet even with all this, 
I have seen gulleys, dilapidated fences, and scratch¬ 
ing the surface; in short, bad farming elsewhere, 
than in the cotton region ; and I believe the same 
cause exists, viz., either indolence, or too great 
anxiety to accumulate property, instead of taking 
proper care of that already secured. I may be ex¬ 
pected to give my prescription, differing as I do 
from Dr. C., as to the best mode of eradicating the 
evil; for I acknowledge there is an evil, but think 
it inherent in man, not in the cotton-planter, nor in 
working 8 to 10 acres of cotton per hand, instead 
of 4 or 5. The evil is, or rather the evils are, 
planting for too large a crop, not cultivating ; and 
throwing away the farmer’s best jewel—his ma¬ 
nure. If I am right in pointing out the disease, 
the remedy is at once apparent; cultivate for a 
less crop, cultivate well; save all manure, and add 
to it, as a part of the regular business of every 
farm. Which farmer gets on best—the one who 
clears a very small amount, yet in a series of years 
is possessed of as much effective force as him who 
makes the greatest possible exertion, and wears 
out his land, and diminishes his force ? 
I would rather induce our brethren, by persua¬ 
sion, to keep all things about them in good order, 
than to cast them off, as entirely lost. The times 
are as bad on the grain-grower and pork-producer, 
as on us; their profits must be “ meager” indeed, 
and we should, in looking around, reflect on 38 
