The progressive farmer., 1902-03-18
Raleigh, N. G., March 1s, 1902.
HON. MARTIN CALVIN TALKS OF HOW
TO GROW CORN.

casionally a year dawns upon us the
duties of which are more specific and
exacting than those of any preceding
year. That is the condition which
rules this good year of grace, 1902.
The year just past was by emil
neDce to large majority of farmers
the most disastrous in a quarter of
q century.
The seasons throughout the year
were exceedingly unpropitious. We
were '1ong' on rain, so t'long" the
weather man tells US that we have
inches by inches of excessive rain
fall TO our credit.
We should not be dismay ed by the
disoouraging events of the past, but
50 pitch our crops the current year,
both as to variety and time, that,
with favorable seasons, we may find
ourselves on high ground.
Every farmer, whatever else he
may plant, ought to plant for an un-
usually large crop OF COEu'
As I have frequently stated, cot
ton is the only farm product South
which possesses the dignity of col
lateral. This fact remains, and it
stands at the front to-day, that
small corn crop and resultant empty
cribs materially affect the value of
the collateral. The latter loses very
much of it's importance-to the
farmer.
I received day or two ago, from
a leading firm of cotton factors of
this city letter in which they used
this language:
"We commend your efforts to
make our farmers realize the import
ance of giving proper attention to
that (oOrn) crop The most prosper
Gus years our section has expert
enced has been when there was lit
tie or no corn to buy. Cotton factors
are often blamed for the lack of at
tention given to growing corn, but
this is very unjust. You will find
the factors urging their customers
to raise plenty Of corn, and the
farmer who has the best credit with
his factor is the one that does not
have to by corn. -
This firm, Messrs. Pope & Flem-
ing, in another branch of their bust
ness is offering a cash prize of $50 to
the farmer who produces on a meas
ured acre the largest number of
bushels of corn.
am glad to note that in other
sections of the State similar prizes
are being offered. Let as many as
will take advantage of these offers
and strive intelligently and energet-
ically for the mastery.
want to emphasize the wisdom of
planting measured acres, whether
there be three or three hundred.
There is too much guess work on the
average farm. Very recently I heard
of a farmer who directed that twenty
acres in a certain field should be
seeded to oats. The soil was pre-
pared and the oats broadoasted on
twenty acre basis. Later the strip
was measured and was short just
seven acres. The piece was sown by
estimate.
A measured acre means economy
in the use of fertilizers and seed. At
harvest time, if estimates be not the
rule, there will be drawn from the
aore lesson more or less encourag-
ing. To the wise farmer it will prove
to be a valuablel esson. What have
we been doing in Georgia, North
Carolina and South Carolina in the
matter of growing corn? Let Us
take the years 1892 and 1898 and see
what each of these States did for
herself. In 1892 Georgia made 32,
992 900 bushels on 2,945, 7O8 acres,
11.2 bushels per acre. In 1898 she
made 26, ,586, ,848 bushels on 1884, ,O72
acres-an average of bushels per
acre.
In 1892 North Carolina made 25,-
S74, 900 bushels on 2, 485, ,O1O acres, an
average of 10 2 bushels per acre. In
1898 she made "a, O7O, 400 bushels on
2,433, 800 acres, an average of IA
hushels per acre
In 1892 South Carolina made 49,
713, 900 bushels on 1891, ,677 acres, an
average of 10 bushels per acre. In
1898 she made II, $500 bushels on
1, 1,751, ,9O7 acres, an average of 10
bushels per acre.
My information is that North
Carolina farmers have been grad