Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-02-27
From the Cotton Planter.
PREPARATION Oh LlyD, AND CULTIVATION OF

DR.. CLoUD--Dear Sir Allow me 10 mako you
very polite bow, for :" the cordial welcome of
ga Rustic to the columns uf the American
Cotton planter . and permit me, further, to
thank you for your concentrations of my simple
plan of rotation. 1t is truly gratifying to know
that the simple plan have adopted for the pre-.
scryaton of my land, meets with the approval OF
one so well qualified rs yourself to express an
opinion in sarl l.iai.er,. i encourages me to
persevere and rcdouble my efforts aud, with
the approving smiles Of Providence, l hope in
ten years to DC able TO show little farm, as pro.
ductiye as in its virgin state, worth double its
original cost, and having produced remunera-
tive crop every year for that space of time. In
my former communication, promised you de.
tailed statement Of my mode Of preparing land,
planting und culiivaling special crops. now
seat myself to fnlil'that promise, and (although
out Of season. will first commence with Corn.
You will bear in mind that my plan Of rota-
ton is never 10 plant corn on land two years in
succession; it invariably follows cotton. The
method have adopted, as presenting fewer OBJ.
ectionablc features than any other have ever
tried-taking into consideration the nature and
character of the soil, climate, Latitude &c,-is
this: After having thrashed down all the cotton
stalks, breaking them to pieces rs much as is
possible, with stout: heavy sticks, start long,
narrow and nearly square-pointed bull.tongue
plows to running in the old water furrow, be-
tween the cotton beds, running three times in
each old water furro", breaking the ground for
n space of II to ID inches, and six to eight
inches deep, very eiiectually. After finishing
the field in this manner, it is then crossed at
right angles, three feet apart, and the corn is
dropped in the intersections Of the furrows, 5
or s grains in the hill, and is covered by throw
ING two burrows upon it, one from each side.
AS soon as the field is finished being planted,
tho mddcs of the rows are broken ont with
the same long and narrow bull tongue plows,
and woodcn-toohcd 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 md drill is 4 by feet, one stalk in a
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 tho 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 Il row, and still close to
the corn, the hoes following, cutting up any
weeds or grass that the plows could not reach,
and bringing the corn 10 stand. If, in the
course of ten or twelve days, the ground should
become packed by heavy fall of rain, or
young grass begin to make its appearance, a
triangular iron-toothed harrow should be run
once in row, the narrow way. This will los
en- up the ground and kill all the grass, unless
you let it stand too long. In tca or fifteen days
more, the corn will have attained size. enough to
receive its last thorough working, and bc laid
by; and this work Of laying by is the most
important operation Of the whole process of
making corn; uponits good or careless perform
ancc, depends the future yield of the crop. My
rule is to run next tho corn, and not very near,
with light sweep, and pow out the middles
with bul-tongues, deep and thorough. This
working must be completed at flrthcst by the
goth or 25h Of May, and by the 5lh of June |
SOW my Peas in the middes, between the corn
drilling them thinly aud evcnly, and covering
them by passing twice in II row between the
corn, with an iron-ooIhed harrow.
This last operation completes all tho workings
Of the corn crop; the ground is now in n fine
puvcrulent state and a!t!nst perfectly level !;
nothing more is requisite than TO pass over it
with the hoes, and cut up stray ~crds and
branches of grass around s;umps and the roots
Of trees.
do rot claim, for this simple plan, supcriori-
ty over every ollcri; it has proved the best [