The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1854-03-07

crops, is, not to work corn unless the dust will
follow the plough, nor after the roots have ex-
tended so far as to be disturbed by the imple.
mcnt Strict adherence to these rules for the
cultivation of all summer crops, will not only
insure fair crops in any season, but will redeem
that most valuable grain, Indian corn, from the
unjust charge so pertinaciously insisted on by
all bad farmers, of "robbing mother earth OF
her native fertility and rendering her powcrless
to produce
have known some farmers of high reputa-
ton in Virginia and Maryland, and deservedly
so, in all things except the culture of Indian
corn, who were born and reared in the tide wa
ter districts of those States, have their day Of
the month and day of the week to commence
corn planting, and fixed number of times of
ploughing before "laying by" One of this
| old school, a most successful renovator Of the
soil, now no more, who spared neither pains
nor expense in his operations, lined, manured
heavily, used guano freely, subsoiled and
ploughed extra deep, but would break his corn
ground in autumn, cross plough it in spring,
plant early, and coulter and plough it four or
five times, and until the tassel made its appear
ance Three years ago, after my neighbor had
planted his corn, offered him ten barrels per
acre, if he would allow me to cultivate it in my
own way; he declined, expecting fifteen or
eighteen barrels, and went over the corn with
one implement or another five times. The
growth of the corn was heavy, but the ear was
light, the product scarcely ten barrels per acre.
The same season, with not one-tourth OF the
cost in manure or labor, made, on no better
land fourteen barrels and half on several
acres, and on one and half acres over seven
teen barrels per acre; and my land came out
better than when the corn was planted, while
nv neighbor's was not little worsted. My
corn was followed next spring by barley, thir'
ty.five bushels per acre. The barley stubble
turned in and wheat sown in October-product
twenty-five bushels per acre,) and my land is
now we'll set IN clover and timothy.
am satisfied ifmy neighbor's corn had not
been disturbed after it was thinned and land.
hoed, he would have made at least fifty per Ct
more, or fifteen instead of ten barrels per acre
The past season. 1883 in great drought,
when portion of my corn land become very
hard, and I apprehended the worst consequen'
ces, the land having been merely coultered be-
fore planting, not thoroughly subsolled, lnJu-
dcously set in the single barshare, throwing
the mould next the corn, and split the middle
with the double shovel. Luckily, this opera
ton was soon stopped by a general shower,
but the mischief had been done to the few rows
so treated, for although up to that time the corn
in those rows on the best land, had looked well
and promised better than on any other part OF
the field, the product was at least twenty per
cent below the other portion Of the cut, which
was but twice passed over by the double shov-
ell or cultivator.
Heavy crops of corn are said to be raised on
the western prairies by the simple process Of
ploughing deep and thoroughly inverting the
sod, and then, with sharp instrument, making
hole on the reversed furrow, then dropping
and covering the corn and leaving nature TO do
the rest If this be true, it is an instructive
lesson and one which | have cndeavored to
follow, as shown in my Essay On the I'M
provement Of Worn-out Lands" lis true,
we on the Atlantic board have not the prairie
of the West, but, by my six.feld system which
appropria:cs each field to at least two years
successive close grazing, to be followed by
corn we have all artificial prairie, which treat.
ed as | have recommended, has never failed,
with me- to bring fifty per cent. more corn than
can be produced by any other mode of culliva-
ton practsed in the old State.
Tho Ap G. JONES.
Fairfax County, Va, Oct. 1858.