COTTON 
249 
In selecting land for planting cotton it is best not to 
choose soils that have been growing cotton for more than 
two years. Cotton produces well when it - follows such 
crops as oats, wheat, cowpeas, peanuts, corn, kafir, and 
other grain sorghums. 
Preparation of Soils and Methods of Planting Cot¬ 
ton. —If the soil has been planted to cotton the preced¬ 
ing year, it will be necessary to cut up the stalks with a 
stalk cutter so they may be turned under, or gather and 
burn them to control the boll weevil. After disposing of 
Fig. 178.—Cultivating cotton with a tractor, two rows at one time. 
the stalks it is a good plan to break the land in the fall. 
If the breaking is done early the land will collect 
moisture, the organic matter plowed under will have 
time to decay, and considerable plant food will be made 
ready for the young cotton when it is planted. Fall 
plowing also turns up many insects that are hibernating 
in the ground and exposes them to the severe weather. 
In many areas where cotton is grown, the plowing is done 
in February and March. This enables one to grow a 
cover crop such as winter oats or rye. If the land is 
plowed at this time it will be well to “flat-break” the 
