The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1904-05-12
Making Corn.

corn crop than usual last wear Inf If
: they do not look out they viii lind
their corn crib next fail in the West
and The money made on cotton going
away TO other States to pay for the
necessities Of life.
One OF the most successful formors
we ever met attributes his good for.
tune largely to the fact that while
his tenants made cotton. he devoted
his attention on his wages farm to the
growing something with which IN
feed them and their animals. He made
corn, wheat, oats potatoes and meat
which he sold them on credit and ot
the end OF the year lie owned nearly
all the cotton these people had worked
all the summer to make and gather.
He grew some cotton also, TO he sure
but he grew 1t as n surplus crop and
in regular rotation. Now, If they do
not mind, a great many of our farm.
ers viii find themselves next fan in
the condition Of this gentleman's ten.
ants; some one else will own the cot.
ton, or what amounts TO the Same
thing, some one else will get most OF
the money the cotton brings, in OK.
change for corn, meat, flour, hay etc
There is a tendency right now to
plant all the best land in cotton and
stick the corn in anywhere around
the edges.
Now, friends, this will not dol The
price Of corn is advancing as well as
the price of cotton. 1t is already worth
seventy cents a bushel in Atlanta, and
going higher. We must lay our plans
TO make what corn we will need for
nome consumption at least, then we
shall be able to keep some Of our cot
ton money when we get it. We shonld
therefore, divide up our land and make
good corn crop as well as cotton CROP
All through the upper part Of Geor-
gia and adjoining States the practice
Is TO plant corn on the river and creek |
bottoms year after year. and with it, |
tie or no fertilizer. Where the land is
oVerHoWn periodically by creek or river
the fertility OF the land is fairly well |
maintained and even increased But
there is very large amount Of hot. |
tom land that does not become over. |
flown, and on such land the Weld of |
corn is becoming lighter year by wear,
1t still grows a fairly good stalk. but
the ears are nothing like so heavy as
formerly.
This falling Off is undoubtedly due
to the exhaustion of the mineral ele.
ments Of plant food in the soil, phos.
phoric acid and potash. There is still
a fair amount Of organic or vegeta-
Die matter in most Of these soils which
the growth Of grass and weeds, after
the crop is laid by, helps to keep up.
The growth of stalks also indicates
that there is at least a fair supply of
ammonia. The ear, however, is de.
hcient, and ears are what we want.
When we realize that a crop Of fifty
bushels Of corn per acre actually re-
moves from an acre of land sixty
seven pounds of nitrogen, thlrty-one
pounds Of phosphorlc acid and eighty
pounds of potash, we can better under.
stand why, IL the supply Of plant food
is not renewed. the ears will grow
smaller from year to year. If our yield
per acre is only twenty-five bushels,
the drain upon the soil will be half
the above amount, and to meet this
and increase our yield of corn from
year to year. we should use on such
land at least six hundred pounds per
acre of a fertilizer Analysing nitrogen
two and a half per cent, phosphorlc
acid seven per cent. and potash eight
per cent. To make this fertilizer take
cottonseed meal ESQ pounds, acid phos.
phate 1000 pounds and murlate Of pot.
ash 800 pounds to make ton. Mix ,
thoroughly together until the whole
mass is an even color, pounding up all /
Jumps as they roll down around the
edges of the pile. BY using 600 pounds
OF such a fertilizer per acre on your I
bottom lands, together with proper
tillage and the planting of cowpeas in
the middles, when laying by, you will
DE able TO grow corn steadily OH this I
land and find your crops constantly |
Increasing in size every year, instead 4
or diminishing. Very little nitrogen {
will be needed in the fertilizer, as this |
Will be supplied by the pea vines dy- d
Ing on the land. &
Now, don't fall into the mistake OF '
the fertilizer is going to I
make the corn by itself, or that it will q