Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-04-02
From the Laurensvillc Herald.
PLANTING And CULTURE OF CORN.

Mr.. Stokes AFTER the Hattering notice
you gave my last communication, it might
have been expected would appear again
sooner in your collums, but really it has
been too cold to write. feel graiied that
even one young farmer has thought he de.
rived benefit from my humble larbors in your
columns This cheers me on land needed
cheering) to further efforts. To be, in some
degree, useful to my brother farmers is the
top Of my ambition.
1t has been suggested to me than a state.
ment of my mode of planting and cultiVa-
ting corn, as it differs in some respects from
the common mode, might be useful. As it
is raining, aud confines me to the house, |
have concluded to try my hand upon it. In
my last, among other things, | urged the
plan of deeply breaking up our stubble lands
early in the fall aud winter. rejoice that
mine were broken up before Christmas, ior
have not been able to break up any since;
and those Of your readers, if there be any,
who took my advice, will no doubt thank me.
Having thus broken up my stubble lands
thoroughly and deeply, commence late in
February or the first Of March, to lay it off
for corn, by running scuter furrow, if on
uplands, 5 feet apart, us nearly horizontal
as can, (my broken lands are al laid off
with grade ditches.) TO this work put
my very best plowmen-the less skilliul
follow, running round this lurrow at the dis
tance OF about foot-all three Of the fur
rows deep. do this so long before plant.
ing time (3 or weeks.) lst. because it
breaks up the land thoroughly where the
corn is to stand, and which canno. be broken
up afterwards; and in the ID place, because
have more leisure then to attend to having
the rows run horizontally than will when
the hurry Of planting time approaches.
Having thus prepared, about the 18th Of
March, or later, begin to plant by opening
the middle one Of these furrows with a shovel
plow-the dropper follows aud drops or
grains every 8 feet. The corn is then GOV.
cred with two scuter farrows, managed so
as to make a ride IL or ID inches wide, sharp
enough to turn the water. Nothing further
is done until the corn has come up. am
opposed to scraping the top of the ridge
with board or borrow. II will keep looser
and hoe better when left untouched, especial.
ly if there should be heavy rains. When
the corn is up il it is very missing. re.
plant; but have not much faith in re-. plant.
ing; it seldom does much good. And now.
when my corn is up, and before am called
away to my cotton, give it what | consider
its most important workings thorough
hoeing. This is done by cutting off the top
Of The ridge, all along from bill to hill, and
loosening the earth around The corn if it has
been settled by the rains, no hilliug is done,
all is left fiat. BY this course every weed
and sprig of grass is killed or thrown where
the plow will reach it, and the corn left to
start without a rival. 1t is this first coat Of
grass that is most to be dreaded. If it is
destroyed, good plovman can keep the land
clean Afterwards. This work is usually done
from the middle to the end Of April, in time
to begin fairly with the cotton.
Some two weeks after the hoeing com.
mences, I bring in my plows for the first
time since the corn was planted. The seu.
ter is run next to the corn, and the shovel
plows out the middes-al as deep this time
as can be done with justice to the mules.
The scuter is not allowed to run SO close as
to lap the furrow. The earth should barely
meet about the corn (nor is it essential, after
such hoeng, that it should meet at ALL
The next blowing, when the corn will he
large enough to bear it, is the time to throw
earth to it and make the iurrows lap. The
next, or second blowing, is done about 20
days. after, ouly deep enough to kill the
grass. Three weeks after. the third and
last plowing is given. This is done s with
round .pointed plows or sweeps as shallow as
possible. stu having in view the destruction
of the grass The 6rst convenient opportu:
nifty after this blowing, the hoes should
follow, cutting. cut the bushes, weeds and
large punches Of grass, il any are left. which
lays bye the corn,
In poor ground'I I putin the. Psas:the sec:
ond piowingi in good ground the third