CULTIVATION OF COTTON.—NO. II. 
81 
By the way, I had almost forgot to say, that I 
have two heifers got by Archer on a native cow, 
with a sprinkle of Devon and Durham in her, 
which much resemble Ayrshires.. From this I am 
convinced, that with proper selections of a Durham 
bull and native cows, we can produce a breed equal 
to the Ayrshires. 
Could not a monthly publication be sustained 
that should be made up from the foreign periodi¬ 
cals ? There are many things in these publications 
that would be valuable to us in this country, and 
much is of no use now. If a proper selection 
could be made, I for one should like it. I am, very 
respectfully, &c., 
J. M. Sherwood. 
For the American Agriculturist. 
CULTIVATION OF COTTON.—No. 2. 
Log Hall, Miss., April, 1843. 
I generally finish" gathering my crop about 
Christmas in each year; the past season later by 
some 15 days, attributable more to plowing and 
sowing grain, than to the crop, although I sent off 
8 bales to the hand; and made corn, provender, 
&c. in a large abundance. This plan I shall con¬ 
tinue to pursue, as the pasturing down the grain 
is a saving of dry food ; as much work also can be 
done as in the spring, when other operations de¬ 
mand every effective laborer, as well as making a 
better crop of grain, and having that much work 
done. I will therefore take you to the first day of 
January, when I may say the crop is commenced. 
In the first place, I repair all fencing, after 
which the men are employed in cutting up and 
rolling legs; the women and children in knocking 
down cotton stalks when not too large with a stick, 
cutting up corn-stalks, firing log heaps, burning 
chunks and the brush that may have fallen from 
trees, cleaning up hollows, &c. At the same time, 
I keep as many plows running as is convenient 
when the earth is in proper condition. By keeping 
busy at this season of the year, it gives me such a 
control of the crop, that I can have time to do 
what is done effectually, which is one half the 
battle. If the season be favorable, I commence 
plowing for the cotton crop about the last week in 
February or the first in March, having flushed all 
stubble land as early as possible. 
If the land was in corn or cotton the previous 
year, I run off the rows in the old water furrow 
with a short plow, this year using two horses to 
it, and running deep. With a turning plow I then 
throw to this two furrows, one from each side, in¬ 
tending to reverse the last beds. I use the Peacock 
and Dudley plows, the first a cast mould-board 
and wrought share, the other, both wrought in one 
piece. 
I leave the ground in this condition until a day 
or two before I wish to plant, and then break out 
the entire surface between the rows, the baulk; 
my reason for so doing is, that the cotton plant 
grows off faster on a bed of some firmness, the 
radicle or future root will die oftener on a light 
surface than when on hard earth, if not so hard it 
can not penetrate; and by breaking out the middle 
late, it leaves the bed fresh, except a narrow 
strip on the top, which is cleaned off by plant¬ 
ing, which gives the plant an even start with 
grass and weeds. 
I begin to plant the first fine weather after 
the 20th of March, though usually not before 
early in April, some of my neighbors even 
earlier than the 20th some seasons ; I prefer 
to be a few days later and have all business 
well up, than to haste in planting, and prob¬ 
ably get a bad stand from cold, and part of 
the plowing to be jumped over. 
I direct the cotton-seed to be hauled out, 
and dropped in two or three heap-rows across 
the rows, at convenient distances, and in suf¬ 
ficient parcels; practice gives the hands a 
pretty correct idea how much is required. I 
usually measure enough for the first row, or 
an acre, seldom planting over 2 bushels my¬ 
self, and often not over one, especially if 
bought seed. If the first furrows have been 
settled by heavy rains, are rough, or have 
many cotton-stalks on the row, an iron tooth 
harrow should be run over them, drawn by 
one horse, and with the row; this cleans off 
the row, and leaves it in fine condition for 
planting. 
I strike out the furrow for planting with an 
opener. For the better understanding of the 
reader I will describe this. 
Take a piece of timber 3 feet long, 3 inches 
square; round the lower side; fasten by a 
mortice and tennon to the bottom of chip h 
of shovel-plow, about midway of this piece; 
Cotton Plant.—(Fig. 20.) 
