the wheat without plowing, but the soil was deep, naturally open, and a layer of nearly two inches of loose earth had been placed over the seed at the time of planting. Besides, the ground would be deeply worked with the two or four tined hoe, at the time of thinning.
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Fig. 144.—Turning under a crop of “Chinese clover” for green manure, grown with barley and to be followed by cotton.
Starting cotton in the wheat in the manner described
is but a special case of a general practice widely in vogue.
The growing of multiple crops is the rule throughout these
countries wherever the climate permits. Sometimes as
many as three crops occupy the same field in recurrent
rows, but of different dates of planting and in different
stages of maturity. Reference has been made to the
overlapping and alternation of cucumbers with greens. The
general practice of planting nearly all crops in rows lends
itself readily to systems of multiple cropping, and these
to the fullest possible utilization of every minute of the
growing season and of the time of the family in caring
for the crops. In the field, Fig. 143, a crop of winter
wheat was nearing maturity, a crop of Windsor beans was
about two-thirds grown, and cotton had just been planted,
April 22nd. This field had been thrown into ridges some
five feet wide with a twelve inch furrow between them.
Two rows of wheat eight inches wide. planted two feet
between centers occupied the crest of the ridge, leaving a
