The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1906-02-22
HOW To GROW CORN.

AS EIEmPLIFIED BY MIR. WIL.
IAMsON.
He Obtained q Phenomenal Yield by
Proper Cultivation and Use
Of Fertilizers.
In the Hartsville County Messen.
ger recently Mr.. E. McIver William
son of Darlington County, gives to
the public q most valuable paper on
corn culture. In view Of the fact
that the Southern Cotton Associa-
tion at the last meeting held in New
Orleans adopted resolutions Of vital
Importance to the Southern farmers
among the most important Of which
was that urging the farmers to diver
sify their crops and to plant corn and
other grain crops sufficient at least
for home consumption. This article
on the subject OF corn culture hV Mr..
Williamson is all the more In. portant
and interesting. Mr.. Williamson
says:
For q number of years after I be-.
gan to farm I followed the old time
method of putting the fertilizer all
under the corn, planting on a level or
higher, stx by thre feet, pushing the
plant from che start and making a
big stalk, but the ears were, few and
frequently small. I planted much
corn In the the spring and bought
much more corn the next spring, un-
til finally T was driven to the conclu-
sion that corn could not be made on
uplands in this section certainly
not by the old method except at
loSs.
I did not give "'p however, for ]
knew that the farmer who did not
make hisow corn never had succeeded
and never would, so I began to exper-
iment. First, 1 planted lower, and
and the yield was better, but the
stalk was i'll too large, so I discon.
tinued altogether the application OF
fertilizer before planting, and khcH;-
ing that all crops should be fertilizsd
at some time used mixed fertilizer as
a side application and applied the
more soluble nitrate Of soda later,
being guided in this by the ezcellant
results obtained from IT, use as top
dressing fox oats. Still the yield
though regular, was not large, and
the smallness Of the stalk itself now
suggested that they should be planted
thicker In the drill. This was done
the next year with results so satisfac-
tory that I continued from year to
year to increase the number Of stalks
and the fertilizer, with which to
sustain them, also to apply nitrate OF
soda at last plowing, and to lay by
early sowing peas broadcast. This
method steadily increased the yield
until year before last, (19O4) with
corn eleven inches apart in six foot
rows and sl1 worth Of fertilizer to
the acre, 1 made SO bushels average
70 the acre, several Of my best
acres making as much as 125 bush
elE.
Last year, (19O5) I followed the
same method, planning the first week
in April, 20 acres which had produc-
ed the year before 1000 pounds seed
cotton per acre. The land sandy up.
land, somewhat rolling. Seasons
very unfavorable, owing to the tire.
mendous rains in May and the dry
and extremely hot weather later on.
From June 18th to July 18th, the
time when it most needed moisture,
there was VASES Of an inch Of rain.
fall here; yet with s7.C1, cost Of fer
Jilizer, my yield was So bushels per
scee. Rows were six feet and corn
sixteen inches in drill.
With this method, on land that will
ordinarily produce 1000 lbs Of seed
vntton with 800 pounds Of fert lizer,
81 bushels Of corn per acre should be
made by ueing 200 pounds of cotton
seed meal, 200 pounds Of acid phosph-
ate. and 400 pounds OF Kainit mixed
or their equivalent in other fertilizer,
and l25 pounds Of nitrate of soda, all
to be used as side application as d.
rected below.
On land that will make bale and
one half Of cotton per acre when fer
tilized, a hundred bushels of corn
should be produced by doubling the
amount of fertilizer above, except
that 500 pounds of nitrate Of soda
should be used.
In each case there should be left on
the land in corn stalks, peas, vines
and roots, from s12 to s16 worth of
fertilizing material per acre, beside
the great benefit to the land from 30
large an amount of vegetable matter.
The place Of this In the permanent
Improvement Of land can never bs
taken for commercial fertilizer, for It
is absolutely impossible to make lands
ricn as long as they are lacking in
vegetable matter.
Land should be thoroughly and deep
ly broken for corn, and this is the
time in a system of roation to deepen
the soil. Cotton requires q more COM
pact soil than corn, and while q deep
soil is essential to its bsst develop.
ment, it will not produce as we'll on
loose open land, Whlle corn does best