Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1891-04-11

y y
can raise little else than corn.
myself saw Giles county at the
Great Piedmont position at AT
lan;a last fall take four out of five
special prizes, including the capital
prize AT our own fair, here in 1859.
] had the honor 70 select the judges
on the corn display; among these
judges was a Louisville grain dealer
who said he had seen corn from
every stale in the Union and had
never seen our corn display equaled.
Every citizen of Giles county is proud
of the reputation of their county as II
corn county. She stands at the fore
front without peer.
Who made this reputation? Not
over two dozen farmers. Their
names l believe are all on our roll.
Those that have shown corn in other
states-now you may ask what in
ference is 20 be drawn from all this?
Simply this-It proves we have the
best corn growing country in the
world. If few individuals with
haphazard methods can beat the
whole world raising fine corn, when
we enlist the 1000 tMmers in Giles
county and each learns the method Of
raising 255 bushels to the acre, which
we have shown is possible-because
it has been attained-what will be
the result?
The now average is Is bushels; the
minimum often not over = bushels.
When there is such a difference be-
tween maximum and'minimum there
is something radically wrong. My
benevoence and patriotism can con-
ceive of no nobler wOrk-nO higher
ambition than TO teach the minimum
man to equal the maximum in re
suits, while he often eScels him in
diligence. But ] am unequal to the
task.
I am yet in doubt why l was
selected to'read this essay. 1t is we'll
known to you all that have a num-
Der Of hobbies before reach corn.
One Of the first lessons | learned in
this life was TO obey my superiOrs.
1t is yours 70 command; mine to obey.
| will now do my best to tell you
what | do not know, but what !
have diligently studied for twenty
five years,
now TO MAKE A SUCCESSFUL CORN
CROP"
1t has been aptly said the "suc.
ceSsful education of a child must
commence when his parents are
children" So the preparation of the
corn crop should have been com
meuced years and years ago 70 bring
the land up to its greatest produc
tiveness; judicious rotation and fer
tilizing, but as much can be done
with the child's education, however
neglected, in few years, so thu
soil in poor condition can be wonder
fully benefited by rotation.
; We will suppose we have field o
clover to put in corn. Commence
in the center of the field and turn tn,
land in and the field is finished with
out track on the land. Turn jus
deep enough to show an inch of ella,
on top of soil. There is nothing nov
to do to that field but lock the gate
until the Goth of March; when tn
ground is dry harrow thoroughly, t
finethe top and kill young growth
r then lay off 3 feet and 8 inches, plant
ing IS inches in drill. Two grain
r may be dropped and one stalk take
: out by the middle of May.
+ There are a number of planter
that work admirably. The harro,
should be run over the corn about tn
f time it comes up, and twice more III
til it gels as long as a lead pencil
g then it should be plowed with cult
q vators or double shovelS about thre
g times-avoid throwing much hill
4 the corn. My observation, if not m
= practice, is in favor of shallow an
n level culture and early laying by.
J. we'll remember running twenty acre
y Of fine corn in my early farming.
q had it nice and clean, but thought
needed TO be hilled up; so about l5t
# Of Junea took long plows and tire
d up a ridge to my corn, there came
J. drought and my less industrious, b.
!. wiser neighbor raised a fine field
Ia corn while mine was ruined by m
: last blowing. The 8 feet s inches
,s for land full of humus and mode
,r ately productive. For poor or thi
land the rows should be wide and Il
~ corn thin in drill. I well rememb