The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-06-17
CORN THRIvES IN THIS STATE.
ATTENTION INVITED no SOJrvTx
CAROLINA'S RECORDS.
MI. M. v. Richards Writes Interest
msiy OF the Corn Growing Contests
NOW In Progress in This State and
OF Some OF Its Past achievements

washington, June 15.-Soush Car
oilna corn growers may yet SURPRISE
the farmers of the Far Western coun-
try II they maintain the present pro-
auction, and the contest now in South
Carolina is being watched all over the
United States
) In the current issue of the Southern
Field, M. v. Richards has some in
teresting things to say about South
Carolina, and what the people are
doing in agriculture, manufacturing.
ana other lines Of industry. Discuss
ing the corn growing contest he saws
"A corn-growing contest is in prog
ress in South Carolina, where there
is much interest in the growing of
this cereal, one which is being stimu-
lated both by AGRICULTURAL authot-
tiles and individual effort. The State
is offering cash prizes Of $500 for the
best crops Of this year, which win
also compete for SIS offered by the
State Fair Association. Other prizes
will be awarded in the different coun-
ties, the Merchants and. Planters.
Bank and the Cherokee County News.
both of Gaffney, having offered $50
and $25 for the best yield in Chero-
kee county. and the Farmers Union
of York county. three prizes of $3.50
$3.50, and 500. respectively, for the
best results in that county. The CON-
petition for these prizes will undoubt-
edly result in some great records.
such as will surprise the, growers i'm
the well known corn growing States
OF the Central West. as South Caroli-
ma has in the past demonstrated its
adaptability to the producf,pn OF corr
by growing crops which have won
the national prizes in y eempetition
with the entire country. III 1857 DR..
j. w. Parker gathered three hum
dered and fifty-nine bushels Of corn
from two acres. and from q, single
acre secured two huRdre6 haaaneM
and twelve quarts. These Yields were
from land just outside of Columbia.
which is yet in cultivation. In 1880
Capt Zachariah ]. Drake wea the
prize in a national contest, prsducing.
two hundred and fifty-fve bushels Of,
shelled corn from one acre. The,
fourth prize in this contest was also
awarded South Carolinian, ]. Shell
ing, whose record was one hundred
and thirty-one bushels from one acre
The national contest of 1906 was also,
won by South Carolina, A. J. TnIau
growing one hundred and eighty-twV
bushels Of corn on his acre. In this
contest B. e. Moore, also of South
Carolina, won the third prize by the
growing Of one hundred and twenty
bushels. South Carohna's psreIry
commercial crops OF corn are, a1so-
worthy of record, as shown by the
yield secured by w. r.. Walker. Off.
Cherokee county, who. last year uyo--
duced about one hundred bushels. afS
corn to the acre on six acres of M
land and ten acres of bottom hnd.
Mr.. Walkers entire crop Of last sea-
son, from forty acres of upland ana
fifty acres Of bottom land, was fifty
bushels to the acre. Mr.. Walker il q
cattle raiser, and last year fed three
hundred Angus cattle, enriching hia
land from this source and pea vines
Eight years ago the land producing
his corn made but fifteen to twenty
bushels per acre, with the aid Of COM
mercial fertilizers. Last years crop
was grown without any commercial
fertilizer.