The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1890-03-07

whole acre was gone over with a Thom'
as harrow. There was rain on the
Oath, and two days later the crop was
again narrowed with the Thomas har-
row. Now, on May Is, the narrow or
three foot rows were plowed out with
the subsoiler, and 800 pounds of nitrate
of soda was sowed in these rows. and
worked in with hand-harrow or cult
vator. On the 25th, the Thomas har-
row was run through the wide rows, to
break the crust. 1t will be seen that
by this time the soil was not only we'll
filled with plant food, but had been
thoroughly cultivated on the surface,
and also well worked underneath by
the subsoil pillow, so that the whole soil
was not only full of fertility, but was in
that light and open condition that best
facilitates root growth.
To stimulate q still further root de-
velopment, especially in the wide spaces
between the alternate rows, where there
was more room for this purpose, three
burrows were run, side by side, 10 the
middle of the wide rows, with the sub
soil pillow, and 200 pounds of manipu-
lated guano was applied in these fur
rows, the rows being then worked by q
Thomas harrow. The next day there
was about an iuch Of rain, about six
inches of rain fell four days later, and.
on June 2, the land was lightly stirred
with hoe. A little earth was hoed
in to the corn, making the land about
level. There was more rain June a and
5, and. on the Sth, three burrows were
again turned in the middle OF the wide
rows, this time with 20inch Camp
bell sweep. Now, 500 pounds of a
mixture composed of equal parts OF
manipulated guano, cotton sect meal
and kainit was strewn in the wide
spaces, and the corn on the entire field
was hoed. Rain came the next day
but, on June llth, 100 pounds of nj
trate of soda wBs sowed in the narrow
rows, and hoed in.
THE WONDERS OF THE CROP.
The crop was now a wonderful sight.
1t soon became necessary to put up
posts and nail Stats to them, ON both
sides of each row, to prevent the corn
falling. No billing has done, but the
whole acre was kept perfectly level.
Arrangements for irrigating had been
made, but the season was early and wet,
as compared with other years; rains fol
lowed frequently, and no irrigation was
necessary. In fact, as Mr.. Drake says.
"the season was the most favorable for
corn I ever saw" The fame of the
contest acre spread far and wide.
and farmers and planters came from
all parts of Marlboro and adjoining
counties to behold it. P. L. Breeder.
great cotton planter, and one of the
most progressive farmers in the State,
says it was "a wonder to behold" S.
A. Brown, editor of the Marlboro
Democrat, writes: "The harvest was
indeed curiosity. One laborer tod
US that the corn, when pulled, was knee
deep on the ground. The yield was
not much of surprise to those who
visited the crop while growing, and
some Marion county farmers pu. the
estimate at 800 bushels"
THE HARVEST AND ITS CORRECTNESS.
The acre was surveyed June 20, by
VIM. B. Afford, legal surveyor, and
also trial justice, who takes oath that
the plot Was measured by an accurate
Gunter's chain, and was 296 49-147 #.
long and lat #. wide, containing 43.-
26O So. it.. or precisely one acre. The
boundaries were marked by stakes firm
ly driven in the ground, but this pre-
caution was hardly necessary, as no
other corn was grown in the vicinity.
the acre standing alone by itself. The
harvesting was done in the presence oi
a large number of gentlemen-repre-
sentative farmers-including j. c,
Campbell, as the official representative
of the american AgricultwiSt, and G.
B. w. Dunn, j. W. Reynolds, and
John j. Tart, as Mr.. brakes three
witnesses. The acre was first remeas-
ured, and found to be of the dimensions
Just noted. In order that the haryes,
might be completed in the presence OF
the witnesses in one day, about thirty
hands were employed to pluck ana
shuck the ears and weigh them. Mr..
Dunn personally attended to the gath
ering. the weighing done by Mr.. Reyn-
Odds on Fairbanke' tested scales, and