their growth. Deep plowing guards alike against too
much or too little moisture. Too much water has room to sink away from
the surface and allow it to dry speedily. It also forms a sort of
reservoir to hold water for use in a drought. The seed should be planted
in as straight a line as possible, from three and a half to five and a
half feet apart one way, and from fourteen to twenty-five inches the
other, according to the quality of the land, and the growth of the
variety planted. Rich lands will not bear the plants so close as the
poor. Many are great losers by not securing plants enough on the ground.
Straight lines greatly facilitate culture, as it can mostly be done with
the plow or cultivator. Turning land over deep, just before planting, is
the best known remedy for the cut-worm; it is said to put them back
until the plants grow beyond their reach. The best planters generally
cover with a piece of plank drawn over the furrow in which the seed is
dropped. It would be far better to roll it, as some few planters do; the
effect on the early vegetation of the seed and rapid growth of the young
plant would be very great, on the general principles given on "Rolling."
The object of cultivation is to keep down the grass, which is the great
enemy of the cotton. Plowing the last thing before planting aids this,
by giving the cotton quite as early a start as the weeds or grass.
Cultivate early, and the grass will be easily covered and killed. Always
plant when it will come up speedily and grow rapidly; this is better
than very early planting, and certainly much better than very late. Thin
out to one in a place, as early as the plants are out of danger of
dying. Gathering should commence as soon as bolls enough are in right
condition to allow a hand to gather forty pounds per day. It is better
and cheaper than to risk the injury from rains after the crop is ripe.

MANURES.--Perhaps this is, at the present time, the greatest question
for cotton-planters. The application of all the most approved principles
and agents of fertilization would do more for the interests of the
cotton crop than anything else. Cotton-plantations are sometimes said to
run down so as to render it necessary to abandon portions of the land,
and select new. Instead of this, land may not only be kept up with
proper manuring, but made to yield larger crops from year to year. The
following analysis of the ash of the cotton-plant will indicate the
wants of the