Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-03-16

lot of thought and work. That some
thing was the acre of corr that was
to compete for prizes offered to the
Boys Corn club.
Miles Pagan had promised his son,
Bob. that he might join the corn club
and enter an acre in the contest If he
would clear the land of stumps. Bob
did join, but the corn was not planted
this year. For after working with
grubbing hoe and ak from sunup till
shutdown for many days, clearing the
acre of the big, deep rooted stumps,
Mr.. Pagan told him unconcernedly
that he'd just have to have that patch
Of ground. If Bob still wanted 10
plant some corn he'd have to clear
another acre.
1t was a cruel, NEAR trick to play
on a boy and enough to discourage
anybody, but Bob set to work on an
other acre. 1t was too late, however,
to plant the corn when he had finish
ed it, and he had to drop out Of the
contest for this year..
But Miles Pagan was beginning to
learn that he didn't know very much
about growing corn. The patch across
the fence from his was teaching him
something.
Sam planted his contest acre with
the seed furnished by the agent about
the middle of March. The rows were
four feet apart and the stalks in the
rows eighteen inches. He cultivated
it the first time when the corn was
just beginning to come up by going
over it with a harrow. This did not
hurt the plants, except one here and
there, and it killed all the little weeds
and grass that were just starting.
How that corn did grow! 1t sprang
up almost like mushrooms. 1t seemed
to Sam that the dark green stalks
fairly laughed in the loose ground
that he had made so rich with man
ure and ashes.
The young farmer cultivated the
ground level and never allowed a
weed to take roo on that acre. He
pulled the suckers whenever they
appeared and went over it once with
a hoe, but most of the work was done
with a pillow. The first time or two he
plowed 1t tolerably deep, but as the
corn grew larger and the little root
began to run out across the middles
he plowed very shallow to keep from
cutting the roots and injuring the
corn. But there was another reason
for shallow blowing. Deep blowing in
summer causes the soil to lose mois-
ture when the crop needs it most.
Sam stirred the top Of the ground
till there was a layer of dust to hold
the moisture below. He wanted to
keep all the water he could for the
growing corn, and he knew that the
sun can draw water up through a
crust in a hurry, but can't draw 1t
through a layer of dust-or mulch,
as it is called. He kept the soil this
way. He never plowed when is was
too wet, for that makes clods. But
after rains, as soon a. 1t was dry
enough, or when weeds began to ap-
pear he went over the patch with
pillow or harrow and stirred the sur
face till it was broken up and loose.
Bill Googe and Miles Pagan had
quit laughing at Sam. They and
others in the neighborhood often
stopped in passing and looked at the
corn and WONDERED.
Il reckon it's jes' an accident" Bill
remarked to Mr.. Pagan n day,
but that boys kinder got one on us,
Miles, | told i'm before he come out
here hat he couldn't grow peas on
that ground. But, dog my cats, II that
amt as fine corn as 1 ever saw. That
acre patch is better than the rest,
but l tell you they amt none O. his
crops to be sneezed at"
Il don't exactly understand it"
Miles Pagan replied, but jes' between
you and me, Bill, l guess they mus
be somethin' in the governments way
o. dom things. You know that kid
don't know nothin' about farmin' ex-
cept what the agents told i'm. But
look at that acre of corn and then
look at mine across the fence. And 1t
amt in the land. l know that. This
land o. mine, if anything, is better
than his. OF cource it's bound to be in
the fertilizer he's usin' and the way
he's cultivation the ground"
The comparison suggested by Mr..
Pagan was enough to make any one
stop and think. Sans corn was nearly
waist high and had big stalks, while
that of his neighbor in the field across
the fence was no more than two feet
high and the stalks were spindling.
But Pagan understood the cause OF
the difference in the two crops a good
deal better after MI. Burns happened
along one day a little later n stop
ped to talk to him and Sam. who were
working in their respective fields.
Hello, Mr.. Fargin!" the government
agent called out as he rode up. How
is it your corn is behind Sans here?'
Pagan grinned. It's because he
planted earlier" he said?'
How much earlier?"
1.-TWO or three days." replied the
farmer.
MIR. Burns laughed. THAT won't do,
Mr.. Pagan" he said. 1.-TWO or three
days difference in planting would
make hardly any difference in corn"
At his point Bill Googe, who had
been blowing near by, came up and
stood listening. Bill was working bet
ter this year under the example and
influence of Sam.
We'll | don't know what else could
"a made the difference in my corn and
his" Mr.. Pagan replied, IF it warn't
the plantin'."
II think ! know" said Mr.. Burns.
How deep did you break your land?"
Bout four inches"
How deep did you break yours,
Son,