Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1907-01-03

Clemson College, S. c., Special
Prof. c. l.. Newman. who recently
visited Darlington county and the
Pce-Dee section for the purpose of in
vestigating the plan of growing corn
originated by Mr.. McIver William
con, an account of his visit having
been printed in The News and Cour-
Ter Mt the time, has completed his re-
port on the subject. The correspon-
dent of The News and Courier has
been permitted to copy the report,
which will have great interest for
planters III all parts of the State (as
we'll as adjoining States). In part
1t is as follows:
The peculiar or essential William
son plan features are:
1. Deep and thorough preparation
of seed bed. The soil is not only
broken to fully twice the depth to
which it is usually broken. but is
broken much more thoroughly than
Is the custom.
2. Deep planting of the seed. The
seed are placed four to six inches he
low the soil level and almost or quite
IN contact with the subsoil. hut cover
ed to the usual depth. This aids in
"stunting' or rctarding the growtl,
OF the young corn and of grasses and
weeds rs well, since very nearly all
the soil proper has been ploughed
away from the corn row and into the
middles, and no fertilizer has been
applied
j. lnfrequent and partial cultiva-
yt, oY-lt CO. 70 Al
is contrary to popular belief and
practice and Mr.. Williamson STYLES
1t "the most difficult point in the
whole process. requiring experience
and Judgment 'to know Just how
much the stalk should be stunted, and
plenty of nerve is required to hold
back your corn Wien your neighbors.
who fertilize 1T planting time and
cultivate rapidly, have corn twice the
size of yours
q. An increase of 200 per cent or
more in the number of stalks per
acre. With rows Gx1 feet the Will
hanson plan has n little more than
$500 stalks per acre against little
more than 1900 if planting is done
5x3 feet, in accordance with the or
dlnary practice. Theoretically, this
would give 73 and 20 bushels per
acre, respectively, and it seems, from
evidence at hand, that it is borne out
IN practice, assuming that each stalk
VIII produce an ear, and one hundred
ears will she'll bushel of grain
D. Postponing application of ferti-
lizers until corn is given its second
cultivation. In ordinary practice this
would be about the time corn should
be worked the third time. The stalk
has been checked or stunted" as de.
sired, and the fertilizer is applied
when the plant needs it for the devel-
opment of the ear.
6. Intentio>sl retardation of early
growth of the sk until its size i,
reduced one-half N>Cne-fourth its
normal development. -
Z. Augmented developH( >of the
ear following re:ardation Nix
development,) by cnltivationV
heavy APPLICATIONS of fertilizers MAJ
at appropriate intervals.
Since the Williamson plan corn is
planted 4 TO 6 inches below the level.
and is laid by TO & inches above the
level, there is 8 to II inches of the
stalk below the soil surface. The
stalk roots or brace roots are below
the surface when the crop is laid by,
and probably perform their nutri-
i've functions better than would be OF
part of them were exposed to the
air.
Amounts of Fertilizer.
Mr.. Williamson recommends the
following amounts of fertilizers ap.
piled to an acre:
For so bushels of corn per acre
Two hundred pounds of cotton seed
meal, 200 pounds of acid phosphate
400 pounds of acid phosphate, 40t
pounds of kainit, 125 pounds of nj
trate soda, 025 pounds, costing about
50.
For 100 bushels of corn per acre
400 pounds of cotton seed meal, 40(
pounds of acid phosphate, 500 pound.
of kainit, 800 pounds of nitrate o.
soda, 1900 pounds, costing about $10
The total cost of fertilizers, cult
walton, etc, for producing 90 bushel
on one acre would vary fran $15 L
$40, and for producing 100 bushel
on one acre from $25 to $50. Thes
valuations are based on the marke
price Of the fertilizers (assuIning tn