The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-12-01
Four Bales From One Acre.
Neaus md Courier.

YoRKvILLE, November 25.-Sev-
eral weeks ago reference was made in
this correspondence to the fact that
Mr.. Il. D. Thompson, Of Point Post
Office, in Bethel Township, York
County, had already gathered three
bales of cotton from one acre of land
and expected to get one more. The
fourth bale has now been gathered,
ginned and packed, and there is little
doubt that Mr.. Thompson has raised
more cotton on az acre of ground than
was ever before produced on an acre
in South Carolina.
At the request Of the Yorkyille En-
quirer Mr.. Thompson his furnished
that paper with detailed statement
as to the methods employed, and
through the courtesy Of the editor
your correspondent is enabled to send
the Nems and Courier an advance proof
of South Cardinals champion cot
ton raiser S report:
Having finished the gathering Of
the crop off my pet acre Of cotton, l
will now, in compliance with your re-
quest made to me some weeks ago, en-
deavor to give you a history Of the ex-
pertinent.
To begin with, the plot Of land was
stepped off by one Of my neighbors as
follows: First line 86 yards, second
line 65 yards, third line 60 yards, and
fourth line 65 yards, enclosing total
of 1910 square yards Of dark gray
land with yellow subsoil.
Now to go back little. Two years
ago Gin 1859 this plot was fertilized
with 500 pounds of soluble guano and
planted in corn. The yield was be-
tween 40 and so bushels. Last year
1885, it was fertilized with 16 two
horse loads Of lot scrapings, scattered
broadcast, and 1000 pounds Of soluble
guano, Charlotte acid and German
kainit placed in drill. After this, it
was planted with King Cotton, and
the yield was 846 pounds Of lint
About the middle of March, Of the
present year, | made compost heap,
consisting Of so bushels of cotton
seed, six two-horse loads Of stable
manure, 800 pounds Of Charlotte acid
and 200 pounds Of kainit. After a
thorough mixing these materials were
covered with rich earth and left in a
low, fat heap until the 10Th Of April,
when, after having turned out the old
stalks and smoothly narrowed my acre,
I spread over it the contents of the
compost heap, as evenly as possible,
and then turned it under to depth OF
from six to eight inches, after which
I again used the harrow to level and
pulverize the land.
With the manure in and the land
thoroughly pulverized, l next took a
terrace level, ran line directly
through the centre Of the plot, and
from this line, each way, laid off the
rows Al feet apart from centre to CEN
tire. Then, in the burrows, I drilled
7eO pounds Of equal parts of soluble
guano, Charlotte acid and kainit, and
after that. with a six-inch steel
shovel, 1 prepared the land in low, fiat
beds for planting.
The seeds used were what might
very properly be called Further I'm
proved King. They consisted of 100
pounds, carefully selected from the
best bolls off the best stalks that
grew on the same land the year before.
On the Goth Of May I side-harrowed
the acre, and two days afterward went
over it again, and, by hand. pulled it
up to one stalk to every 6 or 8 inches.
This work I did myself, in order to be
sure that it was done right, and also
that I might be assured that there was
nothing left but healthy, vigorous
stalks.
On the 9th of May 1 side narrowed
again, and on the 1st of June thinned
to 18 inches in the drill. Next, on
the 10th of June, | sided with ashort,
straight shovel and 12-inch bow, and
on the 22d I sided again with larger
shovel and 16-inch bow. Then, on
the 10Th Of July, hoed and run three
burrows with shovel and 18-inch heel
scrape. Last, on the 28th of July, I
went through the middles as deeply as
| could with a bull tongue, or scooter,
and then, on the same day, "laid by"
by levelling off with shovel and heel
scrape.
The work of picking, ginning and
packing has just been completed, with
total yield of four bales, weighing
respectively 430, Al, 453 and 1913
pounds, in all l,722 pounds of lint on
the acre.
Now, Mr.. Editor, l know that this
is phenomenal yield of cotton to be
gathered from one acre, and many of
your readers will doubt this report. l
have not got anything to say to
Thomas; but to others who believe in
the possibility Of things that they
themselves have never seen, l beg to
say that what [ have done is nothing
more than they can do if they will use
the means. Let them select the right
kind of seed, fcrtilize their land we'll,
work it properly, and my word for it
they will be gratiGed at the result.
AS for myself, | have been using
rhe King variety for some time past.
[ am not prepared to say that the
King is superior to all other varieties
for all kinds of soil: but in this eli