The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1856-02-28
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From the Cotton Planter.

D'' OLoCD-DedF SH. AIoW Nlc 10
make you very polite bow, for {" the cor
dial welcome of "A Rustic to the columns
of the American Cotton Planter" and per-
nit me. further, to thank you for your
commentators of my simple plan of rota-
ton. 1t is truly gratifying to know that
the simple plan have adopted for the pre-
servation of my land, meets with the ap-
proval of one SO well qualified as yourself
to express an opinion in such matters. 1t
encouraged me to perseverc and rcdouble
my efforts; and, with the approving smiles
of Providence, l hope, in ten years, to be
able to show little farm, as productive rs
in its virgin state, worth double its original
cost, and having produced rcmuncrativo
crop every year for that space of time. In
my former communication, promised you
detailed statement Of my mode of prepar-
ing land, planting and cultiva,ing special
crops. l now seat myself to fulfill that
promise. and (although ont of season) will
first commence with Corn.
You will bear in mind that my plan of
rotation is never to plant corn on land two
years III succession; it invariably follows
cotton. The method l have adopted, rs
presenting fewer Objectionable features than
any other l have ever tried-taking into
consideration the nature and character Of
the soil, climate, latitude, &c.-is this
After having threshed down all the cotton
stalks, breaking them to pieces as mucl, as
is possible, with stout, heavy sticks, l start
long, narrow and nearly square-pointed
bull-tongue plows to running in the old
water furrow, between the cotton beds, run
ming three times in each old water furrow,
breaking the ground for space of l2 to
Is inches, and six to eight inches deep,
very effectually. After finishing the field
in this manner it is then crossed ut right
angles, three feet apart, and the corn is
dropped in the intersections of the furrows,
or grains in the hill, and is covered by
throwing two burrows upon it, one from
each sile. AS soon as the field is finished
being planted, the middlcs of the rows are
broken out with the same long bul-tongue
plows, and a wooden -toothed harrow run
over the beds to clear it of clods and level
the ground. My corn is usually planted
from the first to the fifteenth of March, the
distance it stands apart in row and drill is
4 by feet, one stalk in hill. When the
corn is up to pretty good stand, the bull
tongues are started to running around it the
narrow way-and after finishing the field,
turn back and run around it the wide way.
Both these runnings round is done close to
the corn, and deep. In ten or twelve days,
my bull-tongues are again started, this time
running four burrows in a row, and still
close to the corn, the hoes following, cut
ting up any weeds or grass tha: the
plows cannot reach, and bringing the corn
to stand. If, in the course of ten or
twelve days, the ground should become
packed by heavy fall of rain, a triangular
iron-toothed harrow should be RIM once in
row, the narrow way. This will loosen
up the ground and kill all the grass, unless
you let it stand too long. In ten or fifteen
days more, the corn will have attained size
enough to receive its last thorough working,
and be laid by; and this work of laying by
is the most important operation of the
whole process of making corn; upon its
good or careless performance, depend the
future yield Of the crop. My rule is to run
next the corn, and not very near, with a
light sweep, and plow out the middles with
bull-tongues, deep and thorough. This
working must be completed at farthest hy
the Goth or 25th of May, and by the 5th of
June sow my Peas in the middles, be-
tween. the corn-drilling them thinly and
evenly, and covering them by passing twice
in row between the corn, with an iron.
toothcd harrow.
This last operation completes all the
workings of the corn crop; the ground is
now in fine pulverulent state, and almost
perfectly level; nothing more is requisite
than to pass over it with the hoes, and cut
up stray weeds and branches Of grass
around stumps and the roots of trees.
do not claim, for this simple plan, supe-
riority over every other; it has proved the
best have ever tried, and shall only ask
for it careful trial, and if success does not
crown the efforts Of the one trying it, he
had better sell his land and emigarte.
A RUSTIC.
Hoao TO do up SHIRT Bosoms:--Take two
onnnoe of Gna ,.h;to nsnrn aral,in ,,o.udar-