The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-08-28

Mr.. T!ADAL COMMENDED.
CLARENDON FARMERS CORN
YIELD PRAISED BY EXPERT.
The Method by Whica His Prize Crop
Was Produced Explained at Great
Length, and Els Achievement in
That Line is Characterized as Won
derful.
Columbia, Aug. 1s.-The -possibili-
ties of South Carolina soil and the
eharcter of South Carolina intelh-
gence have received world wide adj
vertssement in the winning Of the
American Agriculturist prize for the
best yield OF corn by Mr.. A. ]. Tipdal,
Of claredon-
A good deal has already been said
about this prize crop, but report on
IT has been made, which will be Of
further interest. Prof. Thomas Shaw,
who is perhaps the worlds most not.
ed grain expert, has made a full re-
view of the conditions under which
the crop was grown and his report
will be published by the American Ag-
ricultur;st this week. Prof. Shaw was
the chief of the judges who passed on
the competing crop yields.
Commissioners Watson, who has ta-.
ken great deal of interest in this
matter, has secured the following con-,
densed statement Of Prof. shaw's re-
port
rhe acre of corn grown by Mr..
Tindal produced remarkable yield.
II made him the winner OF 800
prize {not including States prizes.
The corn was grown on land possessed
of cash value Of $50 per acre. The
SCH, rather low and naturally wet,
was huaus in its composition, at
least, to a considerable extent, .choco-
late in color, and was underlaid at
a depth of about two feet by mixed
gravel and pipe clay of a non-recept-
I've character.
"The soil was naturally enriched by
washing from the surrounding soil
and had also been highly fertilized
during the three previous years. 1t
had in it one open and some branch
drains that were covered. In 1908
500 pounds of guano with compost
r:.n of 4.s.4, gave a return to 1927
pounds of seed. cotton. In 1904 500
pounds of 4.s.4 guano and so pounds
of nitrate of soda gave 1872 bushels Of
corn and 9 bushels of cowpeas. In
1905 500 pounds Of guano, 100 pounds
Of nitrate of soda and 80 pounds Of
nitrate of potash gave a yield OF 81
9ia pounds Of seed cotton.
Planting the Corn.
~on April 5, 1906. the ground was
pioughed to the depth Of IA inches
and the same day was cross-plorghed
and subsoiled to the depth Of 20
inches. using a ten-inch turning
plough, and the subsoil plough run in
every furrow was homemade. 'Imme-
diate,y after, TIE same day, spring
tooth harrow was run over the acre
to the depth of three inches, and also
a smoothing harrow. On April 1s
it was similarly narrowed and the
harrow was at once followed by a
smoothing harrow. On May it was
narrowed IN precisely the same way
as on April IS.
.The fertilizer applied was as fol-
lows: 500 pounds of complete special
guano. containing per cent. ammo
MIA. s per cent. phosphoric acid and 4
per cent. potash; 500 pounds cotton
seed meal with q composition of Il
1-2 and 1; 500 pounds Of Peruvian
guano with a composition OF $50 anu
.; and 400 pounds nitrate of soda
with IS per cent of ammonia The
first three fertilizers were applied in
a. furrow ca May I, at the time OF
the planting of the corn, and the
fourth was given as top dressing
on June Is. One man with mule and
plough opened the furrows and three
men applied the dressing by hand.
The cost of the fertilizers before ap-
plcation was ss245 for the acre.
The variety planted was the MARI
noro Prolific. grown by the owner
who in 1900 introduced the variety
INFO the neighborhood. The seed was
,,,antea in rows that were made with
the shovel. The kernels were buried
three inches deep in a we'll prepared
:, o,-a iocy, anart in the line Oh