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IU ST I.\ COTTOX.
Editors Southern Cultivator— l see quite
a general discussion going on in tlie journals and
papers of the day, about “ rust” in cotton. Is
there any such thing as “ rust" in cotton ? lam
inclined to think there is not. What is it then
that is called “ rust V” Perhaps I cannot tell ex
actly what it is, or decide positively what causes
the so-called “rust;” but I can give the results
of my observation. In order to illustrate fully,
I will go back several years and give a few ideas
on the subject of “ rust” in oats. Years ago such
a thing as “ rust” in oats was not heard of. —
When oats first got the “ rust” every old farmer
was surprised. We had been in the habit of
sowing old and worn out fields in oats for a long
time, and in many instances the same fields were
sown year after year, using a turn plow to plow
them under. I think it wrong to turn over land
intended for small grain, but I will return to
this point again. In 1801 after I had despaired
of ever making another crop (for they had failed
for three or four years hi succession) I concluded
to sow twenty acres of good bottom land, nearly
“ runaway” with Burmuda grass, to oats. I did
so, snatching them in with small scooters, and I
never saw better oats in my life. Finished sow
ing the 11th of March, and finished harvesting
the 20tli of June. (I refer to a journal kept by
my overseer.) Since then I never fail to make
oats when I sow them. [Please tell \\* how
you manage so as to never fail. — Eds. So. Cult.]
Now here is the point in regard to “ rust” in oats.
It arises from a premature growth caused by the
spring rains, and which poor land cannot main
tain when the sun gets warm. The land too lias
been turned up and does not sustain the roots
which arc near the surface.
Now about the cotton “ rust.” It is a prema
ture growth also—and is falling upon this crop
as it did upon the oat crop. Since the war near
ly every body has planted cotton on a large area
of poor land, which for many years has been de
void of vegetable humus. 1 know some fields in
my neighborhood 'which have been planted
four years in succession. These fields had cot
ton stalks full grown by 15th of July. What
caused this premature growth V Os course the
lack of humus to keep the plants green. On san
dy lands easily heated and quickly dried out by
the sun, of course the growth is accelerated and
“ rust” is pronounced upon that cotton by the
15th of July or Ist of August. Plant your sandy
SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR.
lands in corn and manure with cotton seed ; then
follow with small grain (rye or barley prefera
ble) ; then turn under the weeds and grass while
green in August. Next spring if you can find
any good oak woods with rich virgin soil, rake
up sufficient to broadcast all over tlie surface,
and bed up with scooters and then plant cotton,
and I guess you will have your cotton blooming
■when frost comes. Other lands also are attacked
by this terrible enemy rust.” Grey lands for
instance, not well drained. These suffer from
excess of moisture. In fact the plants get scald
ed to death before they get a mature growth. Os
course the guano used helps to scald it—the am
monia heating the wet land above a natural point.
Use no guanoes on such lands but plant them
two or three years successively in corn, and ma
nure with cotton seed. Drain the wet spots —an
open drain is better than none, but tlie blind
ditch is preferable. If after three plantings in
corn you follow with wheat, and after harvesting
sow down in peas to turn under in September,
you may plant iii cotton the next year, and I
guess you will not have any “ rust.” The red
lands scarcely ever “ rust,” they do not suffer so
much from heat nor wet, and having clay foun
dation retain moisture, and give it out constant
ly and slowly. Red land can be guanoed in the
drill and make a good crop, but does better if tlie
manure is broad-cast. Loose loam or mulatto
land, will “ rust” some years. If the summer is
very hot, the growth on such lauds is hurried be
cause the tap root does not reach to the clay—
and consequently some stalks present a prema
ture appearance. If the season is mild this
kind of land will mature well. But it suits grain
better than cotton.
To sum up I would say we plant too much
cotton and too often on the same lands. New
land does not “ rust” because the soil is full of
humus —consequently it can stAT. both dry and
wet weather. Therefore I would say make your
land approach new ground, by planting it less
frequently in cotton and giving it rest. Also
coat it every ten years with the virgin soil and
oak leaves. Use less guano—produce a manure
with less heat in it. I expect to use river mud
composted wfth oak leaves straw, Ac. for cotton,
and cotton seed for corn and wheat. I intend to
trust more t o providence and less to guano—rely
more on self and less on others. G uano has done
some good but an abundance of evil. If it pro
duces more cotton it reduces the price in a ratio
