Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-08-15
SWEEPSTAKES FOR CORN


To the Editor of the american Farmer
For year past have been reading your journal
with much interest. Farming, for some time has
been my occupation, and, natural consequence,
feel deep concern in every thing connected with
the branch of business that expect to follow for
livelihood during life. In this section of country
we are greatly behind the age, or at least behind
other sections in agricultural improvements. We
lack system and ecOnOmy-we lack science and the
improved implements of husbandry- in a word we
lack the valuable information contained in your pc
riodical. Notwithstanding, are making much
improvement in our farming operations our system
of farming and mode of treating the soil and crops
have been materially changed in the last ten years.
Our great fault has been, and still is, that cult
vate too much land, and pay too little attention to
its improvement. Some of farmers plant one
hundred of and feel we'll satisfied if they
crib 1000 $500 bushels, from soil originally good
when in fact am convinced that an equal amount
can lie gathered from oneffth Of the land with the
same labor and expense, differently employed Now,
if this be SO, the folly of planting large crops and
exhaustng our best SOILS for the want of adequate
labor and manure to keep it equal to above its
virgin fertility, and must be obvious to all. AL
though have myself farmei the large crop prin-
ciple am so thorough; convinced of its mpolicy,
that now want to make proposition (the chief
object OF this letter. through your Journal to
pletely test the capability Of of ground
to produce corn. wish to make the proposition as
broad as the Union itself or at least to embrace
ty of soil and climate, every ferlizing agent and
every mode of treatment, may be brought into re-
question: and the result made known. If one acre
of ground will produce two hundred bushels of
or upwards why cultivate ten to obtain the
same ! And if this amount can be made. is it not a
fact important for the Union and the world to know!
All must answer that it is. | then propose that
! every man who wishes to try the experiment upon
one acre of ground, will by the first ofOctober next.
forward to the editor of the Farmer his name ac-
cOmpanied with two dollars in cash, to be awarded
as premium to the man that succeeds in raising
the most. If one hundred engage, the sum will am
! ply pay the successful man ; if one thousand the
chances will be increased against him, but the in
! creased reward will increase the exertions-so the
greater the number the thorough the expert
ment. If you favor the project, please give it such
notice as you may think it deserves with proper
comments, &c. | have not as yet felt satisfied that
sufficient interest be elected to make the ex-
pertinent thorough and complete, by engaging far
mers from all the cOrn-growing districts in the Tn.
ion in the contest, but | forcibly impressed
with the matter, and feel so confident that large
number will engage, that | have no reluctance in
making the proposition.
The proposition would not be complete, if each
competitor " ere not required to give his success
properly authenticated, with the king of SOIL the
kind of manures used, the mode of treatment, &C.
for the object in view is not merely that the
full man may enjoy the honor and reward of his sue
cess, but that ubstantial benefit may accrue tc
the country, by throwing light upon the culture OF
one of its greatest staples
Respectfully, w w. w.