The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-16
SOME FACTS ABOUT THE PRIZE ACHE
OF CORN.
Capt Drake, of Marlboro Tells How he
Beat the Record.
rSnecirl TO Augusta Chronicle.


COLUMBIA, S. c., Jan. lO.-The de,
partnent of agriculture has received
from the American AgriculturIst
duplicate copy Of the report made oy
Capt. Il. J. Drake, of Marlboro County,
in relation to his wonderful crop OF
254 1856 bushels Of corn from, one acre
of land.
Capt. Draka was a competitor, and
will doubtless be the winner Ill the
contest of the $500 in gold offered by
The Agriculturist for the largest yield
of corn from one acre. TO this, if won
by a South Carolina planter, the state
board of agriculture will add $500 more
in gold, and, in any case, will award
prize of 500 to the So!th Carolina
plauter raising the largest yield OF corn
from one acre, if the great prize IS not
won by farmer Of this state. Some
interesting facts are contained in Capt.
brakes report. The land used was of a
sandy character, naturally drained,
with gentle slope and northern eN-
posure. The former growth upon the
land had been oak, hickory and long
leaf pine. Preparations were made for
irrigation, but it was not found neces-
sary.
Capt. Drake says the season WAS early
and wet, as compared with other years,
and the best season for corn he ever
knew. The value of the land employed
previous to its recent improvement by
fertilizers was only IS, and crop OF
corn raised upon it Il few years back
amounted to but five bushels to the
acre. Indeed, the plantation of which
the acre is a part once bore the name OF
'Starvation farm"
THE WITNESSES.
The three witnesses who swear to
the accuracy of the account of the har-
vesting and measuring of the crop are:
G. B. w. Dunn and J. w. Reynolds,
of Red Hill, and John }. Tant, of Blen-
helm, :. {. These witnesses saw all
the operation of plucking the corn,
husking, etc, and they each selected
an average lot of ears from different
parts of the field and then weighed out
exactly 100 pounds Of ears which were
then shelled. The result was used at
getting an average per 100 pounds for
the whole yield Of the acre. One 100
pounds OF ears produced 50! pounds OF
kernels and l9I of cobs; another. 81
pounds of kernels and Is pounds Of
cobs, and the third lot S3{ pounds of
kernels and l6} pounds Of cobs. This
made an average of about 81 pounds OF
kernels and 10 pounds Of COTS to each
100 pounds of ears.
WE'LL FERTILIZED.
Upon the land was used q vast amount
of fertilizer, more, indeed, than it seems
possible to have been taken up by the
growing crop, aud, the theory is, a
large crop-say POO bushels of corn
could be raised on the same acre next
year, with little or no additional ferti!iz-
ing material being put on.
The crop planted the preceding year
was cotton, and the report gives the
fertilizers used to produce the corn as
follows: Stable manure, 1000 bushels;
cotton seed, 6O0 bushels; manipulated
guano, 1865 pounds, cotton seed meal,
S664 pounds; German kainit, 66}
pounds Most of this was broadcasted,
the cotton seed being used in the drill
only. In addition to the foregoing, POO
pounds acid phosphate, 200 pounds
ammoniated bone, and 400 pounds
nitrate of soda was used.
EXPENSE AND PROFIT.
The financial showing made gives al
excess of cost of production over the
value of product, but allowing for the
fertilizing properties still left available
in the soil, a net profit Of $50 at least
would be left for the acres's yield this
year