Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-02-01
THE WILLIAMSON Method.
Full and Comprehensive Details Given
by the DlscOVefef.
HOW TO MAKE CORN At SMALL EXPENSE
A Valuable Story That Has Beer Pub.
iishsd In The Enquirer Before; But
which is Re-Published at This Time
Because II May Prove Of Special
Value tc Those Who Are Interested.

which is Re-Published at This Time
Because Il May Prove Of Special
! Value to Those Who Are Interested.
For a number Of years after I be-
gan to farm I followed the old time
method Of putting the fertilizer all
under the corn, planting on level
or higher. six by three feet, pushing
the plant from the start and making
a big stalk, but the ears were few
and frequently small. I planted much
corn in the spring and bought much
more corn the next spring, until finally
was driven to the conclusion that
corn could not be made on uplands In
this section, certainly not by the old
method. except at loss.
did not give up. however, for I
knew that the farmer who did not
make his own corn never had succeed
ed, and never would, so l began to ex-
pertinent: First. l planted lower and
the yield was better. but the stalk was
still too large. so I discontinued alto
gether the application Of fertilizer be-
fore planting. and knowing that all
crops should be fertiliZed at some time,
I used mixed fertilizer as a side appli-
cation and applied the more soluble nj
trate of soda later, being guided In this
by the excellent results obtained from
it's use as q top dressing for oats.
Still the yield, though regular, was not
large, and the smallness Of the stalk It
self now suggested that they should
be planted thicker in the drill. This
was done the next year with results so
satisfactory that 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 plowing. and to lay by
early, sowing peas broadcast. This
method steadily increased the yield,
until year before last Q904) with corn
eleven inches apart In six foot rows
and s11 Yorth Of fertilizer to the acre,
I made 81 bushels average to the acre,
several Of my best acres making as
much as 125 DuShels.
Last year Q905) followed the same
method. planting the first week In
April, 20 acres which had produced the
year before 1000 pounds seed cotton
per acre. This land is sandy upland,
somewhat rolling. Seasons were very
unfavorable, OWNS to the tremendous
rains in May. and the dry and extreme
ly hot weather later. From June IL to
July 12. the time when 1t most needed
moisture, there was only five-eighths
Of an inch Of rainfall here; yet with
s7.O1. 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 fertil-
izer, so bushels Of corn per acre should
be made by using 200 pounds Of acid
phosphate, and 400 pounds of kainit
mixed. or their equivalent in other fer
tilizer and 1875 pounds Of nitrate soda,
all to be used as side application as
directed below.
On land that will make a bale and
one half of cotton per acre when we'll
fertilized, q hundred bushels Of corn
should be produced by doubling the
amount OF fertilizer above except that
300 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 ma
terial fertilizer per acre, besides the
great benefit to the land from so large
an amount of vegetable matter. The
place Of this in the permanent improve
ment Of land can never be taken by
commercial fertilizer, for 1t Is absolute
| ly impossible to make lands rich as
long as they are lacking in vegetable
matter
Land should be thoroughly and deep
ly broken for corn. and this is the
time in a system Of rotation to deepen
the soil. Cotton requires more COM
pact soil than corn, and while deep
SOll lS eSStiitidl W ITO ueSI uS'Si"p
| ment. It 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 a shallow soil with good seasons.
| but II will stand more wet as well as
more dry weather.
In preparing for the corn crop land
| should be broken broadcast during the
winter one fourth deeper than 1t has
been plowed before. or II much vege-
table matter is being turned under, 1t
| may be broken one third deeper. This
| Is as much deepening as land Will usu-
ally stand in one year and produce
well. though 1t may be continued each
wear, so long as much dead vegetable
matter Is being turned under. 1t may
however. be subsoiled to any depth by
following in bottom of turn plow fur
row. provided no more Of the subsoil
than has been directed. Is turned up
Break with two-horse plow II possible,
or better with the disc plow. With
the latter cotton stalks or corn stalks
as large as we ever make. can be turn
ed under without having been chopped
and in peavines 1t will not choke or
drag.
Never plow land when 1t is wet, II
YOU ever expect to have any use for II
again.
Bed with turn plow in six-foot rows
leaving five-inch balk. When ready to
plant. break this out with scooter, fol-
lowing in bottom Of the furrow deep
with Dixie plow. wing taken off. Ridge
then on this furrow with same ploW
still going deep. Run corn planter on
this ridge, dropping one grain every
five or six inches. Plant early, as soon
as frost danger is past, say first sea-
sonable spell after March Is, In this
section. Especially is early planting
necessary on very rich lands where
stalks cannot otherwise be prevented
from growing too large. Give first
working with harrow or any plow thai
will not cover the plant. For second