The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1906-07-18
The DRAKE CORE.

The DRAKE CURE.
How the Corn Was Fertilized and
Cultivated.
Dr. ". L. Davenport, Washington
County, Va, made the following re.
Guest OF the Southern Cultivator;
"Please give the largest authentic
Weld OF cora for one acre Of ground,
the kind OF soil, it's properties, fertiliz-
ing, variety OF corn planted, distance
between rows, and plants in the rows,
cultivation, etc., in fsct all the essen
tial details Of production - The fol-
loving is the answer OF the Cultiva-
tor:
The largest corn yet recorded was
grown by Capt. q J. Drake Of Marl.
boro county South Carolina. Not Only
is this the largest grown in America,
but in the world. In one season and
on single acre be produced 255 bush
els and thus secured The American
Agriculturist's prize Of $500, besides
several other awards offered locally by
tertjlize: ard other manufacturing
companies. The details as to how this
remarkable crop was produced were
published in American Agriculturalise
in March, 1880. The following facts
regarding it will be OF interest 10
others:
The land on which the crop was
grown was originally sandy soil on
which formerly grew oak, hickory and
long.lea pine. Three years previous
this particular acre was especially fer
tilted and prepared by Capt. Drake
and planted with Peterkin cotton,
from which be harvested 917 pounds
OF lint cotton. The land was especial
ly prepared for the corn contest. In
February be hauled upon it 50.one
horse wagon loads OF stable manure,
at the same time broadcas5ing 500
pounds each OF guano, cotton sesd
meal and kainit, all OF which were
ploughed under.
Following the plough 800 bushels OF
whole cotton seed were distributed In
the furrow after the plough. Immsd-
lately following this subsoil plough
turned this IL inches deep. The fsld
was laid f alternately six feet be
tween two rows, then three feet, then
six feet, etc. Oae bushel Of the COM
mon gourd variety OF the southern
white dent corn, Of strain improved
by 20 years selection, was planted
March 2. Five or six kernels we're
dropped in the row to each foot.
The crop was still further fertilizsd
during the growing season as follews:
April Goth 200 pounds each OF guano,
cotton seed meal, kainit, acid phos-
phate and animal bone sown in the
burrows; May 10Th, 800 pounds nitrate
soda in rows and worked In with the
harrow; May 25th, 200 pounds guano
we're applied in the three furrows run
In the wide rows; June 85h 500
pounds OF an equ:l mixture Of guano,
cotton seed meal and kainit was
strewn in the wide rows; and finally,
on June 10sh, 100 pounds nitrate soda
4as broadcssted in the narrow rows
and hoed In.
The acre was surveyed June 29sh
by William B Afford. The harvest
ing was done November 25th In the
presence Of representative farmers,
including J. @. Campbell, and official
representative Of the American Agri-
culturist. There was taken from the
field IT 4O7 pounds Of corn in the ear.
OF which only 14O pounds Here soft
and considered poor. By making
several selections the average test
showed that 81 per cent o. the total
crop was kernsls, and equivalent Of
IA 273 pounds shslled corn, or 254
bushels and 80 pounds, estimated at
56 % unds per busnel.
This Was an elaborate experiment
to prove how much corn could be &C
4uslly groWn on an acre, the cost Of
production having been secondary
matter in this case.
The second prize in this contest
vas won by Alfred Rose, CT Yates
county, New York, who produced
2l3 bushels Of E E.rly Msstodon corn.
He planted one kernel every foot in
lows three. feet apart and fertil'z ID
with 500 pounds Mapes corn manure.
The soil was sandy loan.
Third prizs was awarded to George
Gartner Of Pawnee county, Nebraska,
who raise d Ill bushels Of Early
Mastodon On a black, rich loan, ferti.
lizsd with 90 loads OF barnyard
manure, painted in hills three by
three feet.
The average Weight Of ths entire
Is crops raised and entered In this
contest was 104 bushels shelled corn
per acre. In every case the crops
were well fertilized.
Attempted to Escape.