250 
ELEMENTARY AGRICULTURE 
land to a depth of six or eight inches. After breaking 
thoroughly disk and harrow with a section harrow. This 
puts the seed bed in good condition for the crop. 
The two methods of planting cotton are known to prac¬ 
tical farmers as planting on beds and planting on level. 
The beds are prepared by throwing two furrow-slices 
together, known as a “list.” The middles are then 
“bursted” out, which leaves beds that are several inches 
high and from three and one-half to five feet wide. Many 
Fig. 180.—Picking cotton in Texas. 
farmers plant on the list and plow out the middles of the 
rows later. In planting level the seeds are planted in a 
shallow furrow made by opening the level seed bed with 
a bull-tongue plow. The furrows should be about three 
and one-half feet apart. 
The planting on beds is preferred when the soil needs 
drainage or washes badly. Level planting is best where 
the rainfall is limited and the land is level or slightly 
rolling. As a general rule crops that are grown on level 
land are more easily and economically grown than on 
ridged land. 
