The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1852-06-23
1stitntturali.s
From the Soil Of he Schth.
Manuring Corn.

II
Mr.. Elitor--In the March number of
tbeSoil Of the South are remals in relation
to Corn Planting" No subject can our
Agricultural Journals treat on of more inn
portance to these engaged in South West
ern planting, than Corn Planting; for,
unfortunately, by far too much neglect is
manifested among cotton planters 70 pro
vision crops, and bountifully supplying
themselves at home out Of their own fields,
instead OF, as is the custom, depending on
Tennessee and New Orleans for what can
be made Ivy. ourselves, would we but turn
a proper attention to this part of our duty.
We have no excuse for not making an
ample supply of corn, and other grains,
and raising our pork-for all who pay a
proper attention to this duty, raise plen-
tifully and have it to spare-hence it is
manifest that our wants and small crops Of
corn are owing entirely to negligence and
a mistaken policy of farming. I need not
say more on our omissions and bad man.
agement, as It is constantly adverted to by
the editions rs well as writers Tor the Agri-
cultural Journals; the subject is pressed
home sufficiently to produce change,
could sound reasoning and writing have
any effect. ...
/ consider myself fortunate corn plan
ter, as l invariably make large crops, and
have it to spare to those who buy corn.
taka more pleasure in the planting and
cultivation Of corn than any other crop /
make; hence / find it an easy matter to
make large crops-for the ,5iH to do so,
is the greatest point at last, and when you
obtain your own consent, the greatest
difficulty has been overcome. The writer
on acorn Planting" in the March number,
sets forth some reasoning and practical
ideas, in admonishing the farmers to duty.
His plain Of preparing, planting and man
agement seems good, and his warning as
regards "too much haste and too little
care" may be considered all important.
differ though with the writer, as regards
his system ofmanuring with cotton seed.
In planting my corn crops invaribly
pay great attention to the preparation Of
the ground by thorough, deep plowings
My rows are laid off five feet apart, and
the seed placed in the drill as near three
feet apart as the droppers can Judge. I
cover by running a scooter furrow on each
side Of the planting furrow, and fill up
the covering furows made by the scotter'
with two more scooters sideing, breaking
out the balk with shovels. By this meth
cd your corn is well covered. and sufficient
ly deep to protect It from being gravelled
up by the birds and squirrels, U have
had always good stanhs,) and you have
the ground deeply broken, well pu.verized
for at least eight or nine inches on each
side Of the corn---in fact, the whole bod, if
you are careful in having the balk well
ployd out, I scarcely ever give corn more
than two plowings, for have found It un-
necessary when the ground has been
thoroughly plowed and prepared before
planting. lam though as particular in
having It as well hoed as plowed, and
give it three hoeings, i'll conceive that
the corn requires late stirring of the
ground. hsye, in as short manner as
possible, stated my plan of preparing,
planting, and number Of workings con-
slider necessary. I shall now give you
the manure with cotton seed. The ground
being well broken up, the laying off fur
row is run deep and wide-the corn is
dropped as above stated in said furrow,
as near three feet apart as can be done, by
judgement. The manners follow the
droppers, and place large handful of cot
ton seed in the planting turro,C, from six
to eight inches on each side Of the corn
when planted and before covered, II has
the appeassnee in the furow, of two hand
fuls OF cotton seed-tben the grain Of corn
to itself, and then the cotton seed and the
corn. again--it Is allscoyereda a above
described, by the scooter. Ny reasons for
thus manuring ] will now give in as few
words as possible, and whether the theory
holds good or not, experience aud heavy
crops bear me out in saying the plan is q
good one. The impressions of those who
taught me this system, (and they ere also
my own, were, that when the manure
was placed on the seed corn, OF in contact
with it, that it pushed of the young plant
to large stalk and heavy blades; but
the ear was generally small, FOR the reason,
that the benefts Of the manure were
exhausted in the stalk and blade, before
the ear was formed and needed support.
BY placing the manure of from the seed,
rs above described, the young plant extracts
nothing from it. and when large and
preparing tr ear, its roots were then sap
ping from the manure the strength which
supported the fruit and made large ear.
Such is my plan Of manuring, Mr. Ed
tor, and as remarked above, whether the
theory holds good or not, my crops are
large and heasy, P!ss.a3 and managed
on this system. s.....-.. .g
Yours, DC. lid.
Aareh IL, 1852. -
The plan Of J. II. ID. for manuring
with cotton seeds 10 better than ours were,
for the same reason that two ounces
Of bacon would Be better sof a laboring
man, than one, and II his supplies will al
low such lihagality. Ee ehou!d not object