The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1853-04-20
IN ADVANCE.
N UNI B ER IL

Again, beg leave to differ somewhat
with the commonly received opinions of the
day, in regard to the last working Of corn.
As above said, do not believe in turning
land over with your turning plows; our
summers are too long and hot, and it is kill
ing to land thus to throw it up to the sun.
But my experience has taught me to plow
corn deep all the while-even when laying
it by--notwithstanding it is said that in
breaking the roots, &C., you injure it. Now,
l shall not attempt to explain the philosophy
OF IT further than to say, that by breaking
OIL the old roots, and stirring up the ground,
You put new life and vigor in the whole
stalk as by trimming and pruning an old
tree, u assumes new growth, and conse-
quently new llfe This may seem a little
heterodoxlcal, but experience teaches us that
this is true; and would respectfully ask
why it is that the top ear on a stalk Of corn
Is always the largest! and why it is that
you may may top corn long before you pull
the fodder, without injuring the corng
| There appears to be some inconsistency in
this, but observation proves it to be So
Last year, hud field of As acres, second
year land, in corn. The rows were 4 I-1
feet apart, and the corn stood thick in the
drill-say feet. At the regular time giving
1t the last plowing, the weather was dry.
and the ground stumpy and rooty. The
| corn looked very fine indeed, and wa
thought, under the circumstances, that we
would give it good hoeing, and accordingly
did so. The result was that nv corn was
injured and l now believe that if | had
plowed it, it would have done better, not
withstanding it made me over 400 barrels.
My plan Is to plow late-until almost In the
roastlng-ear-while some contend that when
corn lunches for the tassel, is the right time
to lay by.
Aword about Potatoes, and the mode Of
keeping them. 1t is an object with all far
mers to dispatch business in a safe, short
and easy manner; and propose that in put
ting up potatoes, those that are intended for
seed, should be put in hill. MY plan is this:
l simply level the place where want to
make the hill, and then lay two rails down
on the centre, about inches apart then
lay couple of thin pieces across them, and
putting on them two more rails, l close up
the top so as to prevent the potatoes getting
through and filling up the vacancy. / then
put my potatoes on the rails until get the
hill as large as wish, (and the size is not
p5sssl pW5astsssjag } pounding up. Then ! commence
the hill; then | put on vines, followed with
dirt-say six or eight inches thick-being
careful not to stop the holes at each end Of
the rails, and also leaving a small hole on
the top, covered over with few boards
these all to be kept open during the sweat
ing or seasoning process, which will be two
or three weeks then close them up with a
thick covering of dirt. You need no other
shelter, and If your potatoes are in good Or
der when put up, there is no danger of their
injuring. have tried this plan upwards of
twenty years. speak of Spanish potatoes
You can keep your potatoes equally secure
by putting them in houses and / have
known the builders Of potato houses to be-
most particular to have them, if they could,
air-tght. l heard gentlemen, not long
since, say how particular he had been in
building his potatoe house, and that the y
had all rotted. told him they would al
ways rot if put up in that way. Now
have two potatoe houses ; one is built of split
logs, with the cracks chineked and daubed,
and dug in the ground some IA inches; n
loft OF split logs, and few inches of dirt
thrown on that The other is built IN the
same way, only of hewn logs. The secret
of keeping potatoes, is to let them have suffi-
cient air, and this must be done by letting
your door stand open day and night until
they go through their sweating and season.
ing process, and also pulling out some Of
the daubing in the cracks After this you
may close your door and cracks, but remem-
Der they must have air during that time,
whether in hills or in houses
Now, Messrs. Editors, shall close my
hasty and desultory remarks, leaving them
at your dispos, We chould be much
pleased to hear from the planters of Middle
Georgia, their practical improvements in ng-
riculture; for we want to find out some i'm
provements that are particularly suited to-
our soil, climate and productions--in short,
the secret we want to know is, how to make
large crops, and short way to get them in,
and have time to improve our lands.
J.C. w. L.
Epson Co, Ga, Feb. 1852