The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1848-03-22
AGRICULTURAL.
From the Albany Cultiva:or.
CULTURE OF INDIAN CORN AT
ss THE NORTH.

~ THE NORTH.
EprroR OF THE CuLTIvATnR: 1t must be
apparent to every one, that The aggregate
value Of the Corn crop is immense TO our
country. and as almost every cultlvator "i
the sod throughout all IFS varied climate. and
an ali lis variety of soils, is a grower of this
eron TO a greater or less extent. It becomes
a matter Of Importance that il should he
managed to tie best advantage. / know OF
no better way to arrive at the desired result
than the practical experience OF successful
corn growers, made public through the col
amns Of the agriculture! press. We may
all learn something from one another; indeed
never had hired man even, in my l!c.
however ignorant, that had not way "t
his own Of doing something from winch ]
obtained a new and profitable idea. These
considerations must be my apology for any
apparent egotism in the frequent use OF the
personal pronoun in this consideration.
I do not expect TO add any thing new in
information, upon my present subject, which
has been so often and so ably handled 10y
others before me, but simply TO show by
what process have been successful in rails
ing much larger crops OF corn 10 the acre
than would be considered an average yield
in this section. at least The average yield
nf my corn crop. on to l2 acres annually
has no, fallen so low as 60 bushels per acre
IN 10 years. while in more favorable seasons
and on nv best lands. ii will come up to 50
or 90 bushels per acre. 1t is proper also I"
sfafe. that some of the fields wnuld not Gu;
500 los. ofhay TO the acre ten years ago.
The land intended for corn is always bro
ken up from to inches deep. varying
with the fertility Of the soil. late in the fall,
in order to that perfect puveriza,on of the
soil, which the frost Of winter contributes So
essentially to secure. The p!owing is per-
formed with great care an precision. No
baulks-no crooked or imperfect turned fur
rows are at all allowed, but the Whole soil
fothe required depth is turned over. ]
have been troubled to find plows that do
good work in deep furrnws-the Centre
Draft and Eagle No. 2, a cut and description
of which is given in the April number. vol.
IVsof the Culiivaior, turns perfect furrow
8, o or 10 inches deep.
The heaps of compost manure are made
up on this land IN Angus, or after, beds be-
ing plowed up to receive them. These
heaps are raised at convenient distances To
load into the cart IN the spring, and spread
ON the land with the best economy OF travel
and contain thirty or forty loads each, which
is the quantity usually applied to the acre.
Thirty-fve or forty bushels is called load.
In the spring the manure is laid on the land
in small heaps; the rows of heaps about four
PAGES apart. because given number of
loads. fine manure PARTICULAR Y. can be
spread with more ease and expedition by
making more heaps of load. and placing
? them near together. than by following the
more common practice Of making large
heaps wider apart.
The harrow going twice in place, is
started as soon as the workmen commence
spreading the manure, in order that It shall
be Immediately Incorporated with the soil,
without the loss of its valuable properties by
evaporation. and also to divide and pulvcr-
ize The soil above the sod, so that the plow
afterwards may be used in light furrow
without disturbing it. Great improvements
have been made in harrows by constructing
tNem I'D TWO parts, ConiieCteu toSetiei Will
binges-the play up or dawn, upon the hn-
pes.of either haIf enables the harrow to ed
Just itself to the surface of the land in all pla
ces: and whether swooth or uneven, il will
always hug down close, and keep digging.
No farmer who has ever used hinge har-
row, would be without one for five times the
cost Of making. When the narrowing is
completed, the plow with sharp point, and
roller on the beam guaged to the proper
depth, covers the manure three to four inch
es, which, after trial Of all ways, consid-
er about the right depth for fine compost.
The land is then furrowed out as nearly
north and south as the shape and surface OF
ihe field will admit, and also east and west
the rows being three and half feet apar,
each way. IPrefer this distance to planting
nearer. In my earlier farming operations
/ used 10 plant corn considerably nearer
both ways, of course growing greater
number of stalks and ears TO the acre. lns
favorable season, as to moisture, probably {
few more bushels may be obtained by close
planting; but in offset the labor is also con
siderably increased. There are more hill
10 plant and hoe, and the ears being mucf