The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-08-14

tn. Largest Yield Of Corn on Record

DIR. j. W. Parker, of Columbia, South Ca.
rolina, according to a report of a committee
of the State Agricultural Society, raised the
premium crop of Indian corn, amounting to
tire Asssds'ed bushels and t,celre quarts per
acre, the largest crop We have ever seen re-
ported, and probably the largest ever raised.
Of course, upon the 20 Of that section of
the country some manuring and extra efforts
t. produce such a return were necessary.
According to the statement OF DR.. Parker
TO the Executive committee, the following
course Of cultivation was adopted. The
ground was sand hill branch land, prepared
BY under draining and broken up in Novem-
Der, and twenty five tvo-horse loads of cow
house manure were applied to the acre in
December, and well plowed in, with two
horse pillow, which was followed by the sub /
soil pillow drawn by two mules. About the /
first of March another coat of stale manure |
was spread and again plowed. Early in
April, three cart loads of air slaked lime, and
two sacks of salt, we're spread over each
acre, and lightly plowed under. On the l4th
of May the ground was thoroughly plowed
again with a large plow, narrowed level and
laid of thirty inches apart with a shovel
pillow. Guano and plaster was then sprink
led in the furrows-nearly 200 lbs. of the
former and 800 lbs. Of the latter to each
acre. The seed planted, was first soaked for
one night in strong solution Of nitre, and
drilled at distances Of eight to twelve inches
in the rows, and covered with hoes; the
ground was then rolled and left perfectly ls-
vel. The first dressing was with a long,
narrow pillow, followed with hoes. On the
9th and 18th of June the same work was re-
pested, each time leaving the ground level
During the season there was protracted
drought, piece No. l was irrigated twice, and
piece No. had water turned on it once.
New what do We learn from this? Why
we learn that by draining, manurng, tho
roughly pulvsrizng the soil by repeated
piowings and rolling and narrowing, and in
. ssason Of drought, i.rigating-even on
sand hill branch land, crop of over two
hundred bushels of corn can be produced
from an acre of land.
We d. not expect tn t our Western farm
srs will pay $50 or SO tun for suano, and
transport it from the Atlantic to the great
prairies Of the West for manure, uor will we
ask them to plow their land -four times,
though it be not sand hill soil, before plant
ing. But we ask them to observe, as les
son, that perfect tlIage consists in draining,
deeply and thoroughly puverizing the soil,
the economical use of all the manure that
can be made on the farm, and that it will re-
suit in the largest crops and in the end the
most profitable returns. Two other impor-
tant features we wish to call to mind in this
experiment Of Dr. Parker. Wc refer to the
drill system and level culture. For twenty
years We have practiced these modes of cul-
turs and compared the contrast of crops
with our neighbors who have followed in the
footsteps of their fathers, and we have been
more than satisfied with the result.
We are glad to see that the absurd prac
tice of killing corn and other hoed crops, II
fast yielding to sound reason and common
sense, in many sections of our country, an'
many farmers are Begin ing to learn tina
with proper implements and correct me
thod Of cultivation a much larger yield o
corn can be obtained when cultivated will
but one stalk in place and from eight t.
twelve inches apart, more or less, according
10 the strength and condition oil the soil, ant
requiring but slight increase of labor cve
the ordinary mode of culture. We are con
fdsnt that tho corn crop. of the entire corr
growing portion of the country, may De III
creased fifty per cent by an improved sys
tenn of culture, requiring but slight IN
crease Of VALLEY Farmer.