The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-03-25
farmers department.
sessEc EcontfibGtions on practical farming are So
licited from our friends throughout the country
How to Plant Corn.

Z = I
,sEi;torvs IS Telegraph: AS itisfcorn planting
time, it occurs to me that it might not DC
amiss to remind our planting friends OF
Mr.. Dicksonss method Of planting corn.
The renders ofthe Southern SOuttlpator arc
familiar with his suggestions on this sub
iect; but as very many OF your readers
ynossibly do not take this valuable journal,
and and Would Be glad to know the plan pur-
sued bv this -s'prince Of farmers" as the
result of his experience, and scientific re-
searches>in farming for more than twenty
wears. I will take the liberty offurnishing,
the desired information. ''sS : -
Certainly, if our planters could but take
a peep at Mr.. Diekson's S. corn cribs, still
wccif filed with corn which he made three
years ago, and see the abundance and
waste. o., sthat, valuable product which
seems to- crow aroind him as if magic,
they would be anxious to learn thesccret
of such, ,spccess.,,For The benefit of those
not posted, and who feel an interest in
this all-important subject, l will furnish
MIR. Dickson's method OF procedure IN his
own words, for breaking the land and
planting the crop: nrwr-
"Have good turning plows, and accord
ing to your ability, use one or two horses
and subsol. Ride over the field and lay
of the land so that the horse will go round
on level, and the dirt will fall downh
A toam will break up the soil nine inches
deep an si,is way as easily as they could
seven inches on level piece ofland. Con-
tfffsiatale toItake the lands in the same way
= Co. fao
ing. another-all the time going round the
circles and if you spbsoil, have one team
between each turning plow, running in
thebottom -otthefdrrow When you finish
the field is ready for planting, if The prop
CIR time. has arrived. In deciding this point
YOU must be governed by the weather 1t
varies from the 10th of March to the lst
of April. According to my experience, a
man only gains hard work, and more of it,
by very early planting
aNow for the planting: Lay offfurrows
with long shovel plow ON level, seven
feet apart Commence at the opposite end
with. a longer shovel and open out the
same ftiF'row. The reason for this is, You
GET ufp to trees and stumps, and make
better finish, at the ends. This furrow
should stand open seven or eight inches
deep. Whether you use compost, cotton
seed or guanos, let each hand have his
three feet measure, and deposit the manure
lust three feet apart. Then drop the corn
wishi1 three or four inches ofthe manure,
one or more grains as is your custom
dropping on the near side Of the manure,
as the dropper goes then with very
light furrew cover the corn one or one
and ahalfinches deep. Theharrow should
90 the same way as the droppcr goes to
keep from pulling the manure on the
grains IS So, ~,
EFF you cover deop you lose all Che ad-
vsntages of low blowing (but not of the
deep breaking1 and for this reason: Corn,
in good weather, will come up from
depth of one to s1x,inches, but will strike
out the roots about one inch from the sur
FACE Of the ground and all below that will
perish. s$T hat iszone reason why l am op-
posed to drting corn as soon as it comes
apt brings the. root Of the stalk to the
top of the ground
This, Mr. Editor, is Mr.. Dicllson's me-
tbod Of preparing the Land and planting
the CROP @Ine piah ls suDJecI W Iho ''P
proval or disapproval your many read
ers We must make our own corn, and
some change from the usual popular sys,
tam of planting is necessary, in view of
cur dull laborand increased liability to
drought. We mus. guard against the ef-
fects of hot, dry Summers, and tho deep
glowing and deep planting, as advised by
DIR. Dickson, promise the appropriate
remedy. MIR. Dicksons plan ofcultivating
I propose to give to your readers in
another communication, and earnestly in
vite their attention to calm and unprej-
udiced consideration of the same.
- s.5sss 2a:y .ea 50 ]. DICKSON SMITH.
TEE Next CorroN CRop.-Thrce mil
Hon bales Of cotton this year, il the sea-