Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1906-02-28
LARGE CORN YIELDS
Palmetto Farmer Gives ills
Method
DEEP AND CLOSE CULTIVATION
he Obtained a Phenomenal Yield by
Proper Cultivation and Use Of
Fertilizers.

In the Hartsville IS: CD Messen-
ger recently Mr.. E. McIver William
son of Darlington County, gives to
the public most valuable paper on
corn culture. In view of the fact
that the Southern Cotton Association
at the last meeting held i'll New
Orleans adopted resolutions OF vital
Importance TO tile Southern farmers
among the most important Of which
vas that urging the farmers to diver
sify their crops and to plant corn and
other grain crops sufficient at least
for hons consumption. This article
on the subject of corn culture by Mr.
Williamson is all the more important
and interesting. Mr.. Williamson
says:
For n humber uf years after be-
gan 10. farm L followed the old time
method of putting the fertilizcd all
under the corn, planting OH level OF
higher, six by three feet, pushing the
plant from the start and making a
big stalk, but the ears were few and
frequently small. l planted much
corn in the spring and bought much
more corn the next spring, until fin
ally 1 was driven to the conclusion
that corn could not be made on up
lands i'll this section certainly not by
the old method except at Il loss.
I did hot give up however, for !
knew that the farmer who did not
make his own corn never had sue
ceeded and never wonld, so ] began
to experiment. First, 1 planted lower,
and The yeield was better, but tile
stalk was sill too large, so discon.
tinued altogether Tie application Of
fertilizer before planting, and know
| ing that ail crops should be fertili-
zed at some TIME Used mixed 1eftlllZ-
eras side application and applied
the more soluable nitrate of soda
later, be guided in this by tile excel
liant results obtained from its use rs
Il top dressing for oats. Still the
yield though regular, was not large,
and the smallness Of the stalk itself
now suggested that they should he
planted thicker Ill the drill. This was
done the reXl year with resSlts so
satisfactory that | continued from
year to year 10 increase the number
Of stalks and fertilizer, with which
TO sutain 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. (1904) which
corn eleven inches apart in six foot
rows and $1l worth Of fertilizer TO
the acre, / made So bushels averaging
to the acre. severel of my best acres
making as much as 125 bushels.
Last year, (l905) l followed the
same method. planting the first week
in April, 70 acres which had produc-
ed the year before 1000 pounds seed
cotton per acre. The land sanity up
land. somewhat rolling. Seasons very
unfavorable, owing to the tremendous
rains i'll May and the dry aud txtrem-
ly hot weather later on. From June
12tl, TO July 18th, the time when it
most needed moisture there was 3.S
of an inch of rainfall here; yet with
S7.O1. cost Of fertilizer. my yield was
81 bushels per acre. Rows were six
feet and corn sixteen inches i'll drill
With this method, on land that will
ordiniarily produce 1000 lbs. of seed
cotton with 800 pounds OF fertilizer.
80 bushels of corn should be made
by using 200 pounds OF cotton seed
meal, 200 pounds of acid phosphate,
and 400 pounds Of kainit mixed OF
their equivalent in other fertilizer
and 125 pounds Of nitrate of soda, all
to he used as side application as di-
rected below.
On land that will make bale and
che half Of cotton per acre when fer
tilted, 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 Oh
he land in corn stalks, peas. vines
and roots, from $12 to $16 worth OF
fertilizing material per acre. besides
the great benefit to the land. from SC
large amount Of vegetable matter
The place Of this i'll the permanent
improvement Of land can never be
taken for commercial fertilizer, for il
is absolutely impossible to make
lands rich as long as they are arc
lacking in vegetable matter.
Land should be thoroughly ana
deeply broken for corn. and this i
Lie time in a system OF rotation 1t
:icepcn THE soil. Cotton requires I;
more compact soil than coll.. all,
while a deep soil is essential 10 it>
best development. il will not produce
as we'll ON loose open land, while corl
does best on land thoroughly broken
a deep soil will not only produce
more heavily than Il shallow soil will
good seasons, but il will stand moro
wet as we'll as more dry weather.
In preparing for the corn crop
land should be broken broadest dur
iug tho winter one fourth deeper thar
| il has been plowed before, or ii nucl
vegetable matter is being turned nn
der, il may be broken one third deep