Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1900-12-15
FARMER ANDPLANTER.
GROWING a BIG CORN CROP.
It Can be Done satisfactorily IL One
Goes About IL in the
Right Way.


Right Way.
There is great danger of over plant
ing cotton next season. The tempta-
ton is very strong. Hence we have
decided to give some thoughts on
growing corn so as to secure heavy
yields. Win give similar article on
cotton later.
How much corn can be grown up
on an acre? Not simply upon one
acre, but on each acre in our crop2
What ought we to average per acre?
We say we should get seventy-tye (75)
bushels per acre, We should not be at
all satisfied with less than fifty (5Ol
bushels. We can grow over one hun
dred (l00) bushels per acre.
We are not gassing. We are not
eNtrayaGant. We are within our own
experience, and the experience of our
reighbors and other good farmers in
differenS sections. 1t has been done.
1t can lie done. 1t should be done by
the avc-age farmer throughout the
south.
You can do it in this way, Break
your land deep in the fall or early
winter. How deep? Well, fifteen
inches CT more. How can we do this?
Simply by running often enough in
one furrow. If you have the teams,
run a heavy two-horSe turner first
and a good two-horse subsoil right
along behind it. Ii you have not
enough mules for this, then use long,
sharp steel scooters and follow one
furrow with another. Even the one
horse farmer can do that
You WInt a deep soil for corn, be-
cause corn root grow deep, from five
to six feet if the hardpan is broken so
they can get down in the earth. And
because corn needs and must have
great deal of water to make large
crops.
breaking deep gives both of these
conditions, root room and water.
But before you do this blowing put
on all the stable manure, lot scrap
ings, and compost and every form of
vegetable matter you can ger, This
will then be thoroughly mixed and
have time to rot and ferment before
spring.
In surinz put on cotton seed or the
meal or fertilizers of any kind you
wish, broadcast, and harrow in thor
oughly. These should be near the
surface and not subjected to the win
ter rains.
You ask how much per acre? Well,
just as much as your faith, backbone,
conscience and pocket book will al
low. The more manure the larger the
crop. There is no danger of getting
too much. If you give depth of soil
and roomy root-bed you need not be
afraid of over manuring.
Now you can prove your faith by
your works. Harrow and harrow
again and again until you have sever
al inches puNerized well. The finer
and deeper the better,
Without any bedding, plant in rows
about four feet and drop the corn
either by hand or with planter, about
twelve to fourteen inches. Put not |
less than 5000 stalks per acre. Use a
little fertilizer in the drill, 100 or 200 |
pounds per acre.
Just before the corn comes up run
over with a light smoothing harrow. |
Repeat the narrowing in eight or ten |
days Then keep the middles stirred |
with scraper or cultiyator. If dry |
weather comes use dashboard. Con- |
tinue rapid shallow culture until corn |
begins to tasseL We have tried this |
plan repeatedly and never failed to |
get our so bushels per acre. Have |
averaged 20 bushels on land very thin |
and poor when we began.
Do not be afraid of crowding if you
have plowed deep and manfred well.
You will get your corn cheaper the |
more you get per acre. We have !
grown corn this way for IS cents per |
bushel, not counting fodder and stalks !
as worth anything
But with shredding they are worth |
great deal.
1t is folly to pillow an acre OF land |
all the year and get ten to Is bushels |
of corn. Take fewer acres. Prepare |
better and make more and cheaper |
corn.
Dry weather does not hurt corn on |
this plan but very little. After few |
years your soil will be so deep and |
rich, as to be practically independent |
of droughts.
You can SOW peas last time you crl- |
tiyate the corn. Then cut your corn |
and Cow oats or wheat and you viii! |
get such crops as you have not seen
before. This plan not only makes
sure corn crops, but rapidly improves
the soil.
Plenty of corn, and corn and peas
and oats and wheat-hay, make it easy |
to raise hogs and beef cattle and poul-
try 1t is the foundation of prosper
ty.
Try it and prove it false if you can
or true as you will. Don't 90 cotton |