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420 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