The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1878-02-08
THICK PLANTING OF CORN BY R. H. HARD
AWAY

THICK PLANTING 3wSYa 9y G9RN BY R, H HARD
EDITOR SOUTHERN CULTIvAroR.-Th
january No. of the Cultivator for 1878,
contains the following startling announce
aient: @Iu the September No., Mr.. James
IL: O9phant expresses his opinion against
thick efanting of corn and potatoes, and
says, &c, &C." Then he turns loose upon
me his whole park of artillery. James III.
U. never expressed the views attributed to
him. Ade-Hardaway-has got "the wrong
pig by the ear Before he quotes from
the Cultivator again, would advise him to
wipe his spectacles. l said just nothing at
sSss1 "a u.s. S Hoasas1, i4sa s
"to err is human, to forgive divine"
havn't linked my nib this time for the
purpose of writing an essay, but as brc
| Hardaway has called ME out against my
will, l will add little more.
lie gives us in his article the following
beautiful and plausible theory: "If you
make land very rich, you concentrate in the
earth uadue heat, and to plant corn at
great distance in heated earth, will most
certainly create fire heat in the corn and
the only plan to counteract this heat is to
multiply the stalks upon the land in such
quantity that the engendered heat may be
carried off and distributed through the sap
and foliage of the plants grown upon the
land. The difficulty is, to regulate the
quan.ity of each, manure and foliage, so as
to prevent the firing process either of land
or plant"
- I understand him, the amount of foli-
age must correspond with the fertility Of
the soil, or the firing process cannot be
prevented. In opposition to this theory, 1
may state, that in the richest dung-hills,
river bottoms, and where manure heaps
have been thrown in fields, tho stand of
corn is sometimes very imperfect, owing to
cut worms and other causes but so far as
my observation extends, corn under such
circumstances, having too much distance, is
less liable to fire than when it is thicker
Imperfect decomposition and application of
the manure, together with a wrong mode of
cultivation, too late planting, and a too par
tial incorporation of the fertilizer with the
soil, and perhaps other causes, have, 1
think, much more to do with the firing
process, than the quantity of manure or
deficiency in the amount of foliage.
Il readily admit that large quantity of
crude manure, unmisely applied, may, dur
ing the process Of fermentation or decom-
position, generate and set free an amount
OF heat i'll excess of what plants need for
healthy growth and development; but Solo
mon with all his wisdom, and the queen of
Sheba to assist him, couldn't tell in month
of Sundays how much beat certain
amount of crude material will generate in
the earth and even if he could solve the
mighty problem, another still greater would
be just behind that, to-wit how much foil
age would be required to take up this heat
without violating the laws of the Goddess,
Hygeia.
Neither can the problem be solved by ex-
pertinent. The character and condition of
crude manure, the temperature Of the soil,
the seasons, and other conditions, are never
alike two years in succession. So down
goes bro. Hardaway's beautiful theory
will also remark that bro Hardaway-
like many otter writcrs-in advocating the
thick planting Of corn, based upon his ex.
pericnce, has left out three or four very i'm
portant items, to-wit: the best timo to
plant, the proper mode Of cultivation, the
character of the soil, and the way that the
manure should be applied. These things
have much to do with the thick planting
OF corn and the omission Of them renders
his article useless, if not liable to injurc in.
experienced farmers. He has left out the
four legs upon which the thick planting of
corn must necessarily stand, in order to be
successful. What is thing worth without
legs?
will say in conclusion, that so far as my
observation extends, corn may be planted
to advantage on common pine land thicker
than is usually done; provided it be planted
early, well manured and thoroughly cult
vatcd.-JAs. III. OLIPHANT, IN Southern
CuhirdtOr.