Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1909-01-07
f. N. WILLlAMSoN'S
CORN METHODS.
Southern Corn for the South"


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 q level
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 fl
I was driven to the conclusion
that corr could not be made on up-.
LANDS in this section, certainly not by
the old method, except at a loss.
I did not give up, however, for I
knew that the farmer who did not
make his own corn never had sue
ceeded, and never would, so I began.
to experiment. First I planted low
er, and the yield was better, but the
stalk was still too large; SO Idiscon-5
tinued altogether the application OF
fertilizer before planting, and, know
ing that all crops should be fertilized
as a side application, and applied:
the more soluble nitrate Of soda later,
being guided in this by the excellent.
.iresults obtained from its use as a top
dressing for oats. Still, 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
1.-The next year, with results so salts
factory that I continued from year to
year to increase the number Of stalks
and the fertilizer with which to sus-
tain them; also to apply nitrate of
soda at last blowing, and to lay by
early, sowing peas broadcast. This
method steadily increased the yield,
until year before last 1904, with
corn eleven inches apart in six-fodt
rows, and 81 worth Of fertilizer to
the acre, I made eighty-four bushels
average to the acre, several 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 per acre. This land is
sandy upland, somewhat. rolling.
Seasons were unfavorable, owing to
the tremendous rains in May and the
dry and extremely hot weather later.
From June 18th to July 18th, the
time when it most needed moisture,
there WIS only fve-eights of an inch
of rainfall here; yet with SOL, cost
of fertilizer, my yield was ffty-two
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 800 pounds Of fer
tllzer, fifty 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
Kainit mixed, or their equivalent in
other fertilizer, and 1875 pounds of
nitrate Of 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 well
ffcrtilized, a hundred bushels Of corr
should be produced by doubling the
amount Of fertilizer above, except
chat 800 pounds Of nitrate of soda
should be used.
In each case there should be left
on tae land in corn stalks, peas, vines
and roots from $12 to $16 worth
Of fertilizing material per acre, be
side the great benefit to the land
from SO large an amount of vege.
table matter. The place of this In
the permanent improvement Of land
can never be- taken BY Commercial.
fertilizer, for it is absolutely impos.
sible to make lands rich as long as
they are lacking in vegetable mat.
ter.
Land should be thoroughly an1
deeply broken for corn. and this is
the time III a system Of rotation tt
deepen the soil. Cotton requires 8
more compact soil than corn, and
while a deep soil is essential to its
best development, it will not produce
as we'll as loose, open land where
corn does best on land thorough,
broken. A deep soil will not ONLY
produce more heavily than a shallow
soil with good seasons, but it vii
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 thar
1t has been plowed before. or i
much vegetable matter is being turn
ed under, it may be broken one-thirt
deeper. This is as much deepenine
as land will usually stand in on,
year and produces well, though i
may be continued each year, so Ions
as much dead vegetable matter i
being turned under. It may, however
De sHbsoiled to any depth by follow
ing IN bottom of turn pillow furrow
provided no more of the subsoil tha,
has been directed is turned up. Breal
with two heavy plows, if possible, OF
better, with disc pillow. With the lat
ter, cotton stalks or corn stalks a