Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-02-16

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 satisfactory 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 spioughing. and
to Slay by early, sowing peas broad
cast This method steadily increased
the yield, until year before last
19O4) with corn eleven inches apart
in six-foot rows, and $11 worth OF
fertilizer to the acre, I made eighty
four bushels average to the acre, sew
eral Of my best acres making as
much as 1875 bushels.
Last year (1905) I followed the
same method, planting the first week
in April, seventy acres, which had
produced the year before 1000
pounds seed cotton to the acre. This
land Is sandy upland, somewhat roll
ing. Seasons were very unfavorable,
owing to the tremendous rains In
May. and the dry and extremely hot
weather later. From June II to
July, the time when 1t most needed
moisture, there was only five-eighths
of an inch of rainfall here; yet with
SOL, cost of fertilizer, my yield
was SO bushels per acre. Rows were
six feet and corn sixteen inches In
drill.
with this method, on land that
will ordinarily produce 1000 pounds
of seed cotton, with 500 pounds OF
fertilizer. so bushels Of corn per acre
should be made by using 200 pounds
of cotton seed meal, 200 pounds OF
acid phosphate. and 400 pounds OF
!.ainit mixed. or their equivalent In
other fertilizers, and 125 pounds OF
nitrate Of soda, all to be used as side
application as directed above.
On land that will make a bale and
one-half Of cotton per acre when we'll
fertilized, a hundred bushels of corn
should be produced by doubling the
amount of fertilizer above, except
that 800 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 $12 to SIG worth of
fertilizing material per acre, besides
the great benefit to the land from so
large amount of the vegetable matter.
The place Of this in the permanent
Improvement Of land can never be
taken by commercial fertilizer, for
1t Is absolutely impossible to make
lands rich as long as they are lacking
In vegetable matter.
Land should be thoroughly and
deeply broken for corn, and. this Is
the time in a system of rotations TO
deepen the soil. Cotton requires
more compact soil than corn, and
while a deep soil IS essential to Its
best development, 1t will not produce
as we'll on loose open land, while
corn does best on land Thoroughly
broken. A deep soil will not only
produce more heavily than shall
low soil with good seasons, but 1t
will stand more wet as we'll as more
dry weather.
In preparing for the corn crop
land should be broken broadcast dur
ing the winter one-fourth deeper
than it has been ploughed before,
or If much vegetable matter Is being
turned under, it may be broken one
third deeper. This is as much deep
ening as land will usually stand In
one year and produce we'll. though
II may be continued each year, so
long as much dead vegetable matter
Is being turned under. 1t may, how
ever, be subsoiled to any depth by
following in bottom Of turn plough
| furrow, provided no more OF
the subsoil than has been directed
is turned up. Break with two-horse
plough If possible. or better, with
disc plough. With the latter cotton
stalks as large as we ever make can
be turned under without having been
chopped, and in pea vines 1t Will not
choke or drag.
Never plough land when 1t Is wet,
| If YOU ever expect to have any use
! for it again.