tton rows to protect the soil during the winter and to leave humus
in the ground for the spring.

The stable manure, if that is used, should be broadcasted over the
fields at the rate of six to ten tons an acre. If commercial fertilizers
are used, it may be best to make two applications. To give the young
plants a good start, apply a portion of the fertilizer in the drill just
before planting. Then when the first blooms appear, put the remainder of
the fertilizer in drills near the plants but not too close. Many good
cotton-growers, however, apply all the fertilizer at one time.

[Illustration: FIG. 187. WEIGHING A DAY'S PICKING OF COTTON]

_Relation of Stock to the Cotton Crop_. On many farms much of the money
for which the cotton is sold in the fall has to go to pay for the
commercial fertilizer used in growing the crop. Should not this fact
suggest efforts to raise just as good crops without having to buy so
much fertilizer? Is there any way by which this can be done? The
following suggestions may be helpful. Raise enough stock to use all the
cotton seed grown on the farm. To go with the food made from the cotton
seed, grow on the farm pea-vine hay, clover, alfalfa, and other such
nitrogen-gathering crops. This can be done at small cost. What will be
the result?

First, to say nothing of the money made from the cattle, the large
quantity of stable manure saved will largely reduce the amount of
commercial fertilizer needed. The cotton-farmer cannot afford to neglect
cattle-raising. The cattle sections of the country are likely to make
the greatest progress in agriculture, because they have manure always on
hand.

[Illustration: FIG. 188. MODERN COTTON BALES]

Second, the nitrogen-gathering crops, while helping to feed the stock,
also reduce the fertilizer bills by supplying one of the costly elements
of the fertilizer. The ordinary cotton fertilizer consists principally
of nitrogen, of potash, and of phosphoric acid. Of these three, by far
the most costly is nitrogen. Now peas, beans, clover, and peanuts will
leave enough nitrogen in the soil for cotton, so that if they are
raised, it is necessary to buy only phosphoric acid and sometimes
potash.

SECTION XXXVI. TOBACCO

The tobacco plant connects Indian agriculture with our own. It has
always been a source of great profit to our people. In the early
colonial days tobacco was almost the only money crop. Many rich men came
to America in those days merely to