Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-02-28
ROUS|NG POTATO AND
CORN YIELDS.
John ]. Brewer and Son, Albert Grow
Spuds at the Rate Of 576 Bush
els and Corn 92 Bushels
on Small Patches.

John Brewer was IN from Creston
Saturday and gave US report Of pota-
toes and corn that he and son Albert
grew last year that we feel sure will
be of interest to Chronicle readers.
THE POTATO CROP.
!, They turned one-fourth acre of land
that had been IN clover sod for three
years. 1t was plowed eight inches and
scattered seven loads of barnyard ma
nure on top and disced it well. Pota-
toes were cut two eyes TO the piece and
dropped one foot apart in rows about
80 inches apart. From this small
patch they dug 169 bushels. They sold
l31 bushels at 80 cents and received
for them $117.75 The remainder they
sold to neighbors and kept for seed
this year. This is undoubtedly the
largest amount of potatoes ever grown
IN this county from so small piece of
ground. 1t was growing them at the
rate of SIG bushels to the acre. Had
they kept their potatoes until little
later they would have received $3.50 a
bushel instead OF 80 cents.
The largest number of bushels ever
grown in this county before was 189
bushels on half an acre and was grown
by boy in potato clyb al few years
ago. But Mr.. Brewer 4 son nave set
new high mark In potato growing in
this section by producing them at the
rate of 1863 bushels on one-fourth acre,
or SIG bushels to the acre.
This demonstrates what the best
farmers IN this county have repeatedly
stated: Tha& there Is nothing better
tor potatoes than clover sod. 1t Will
be seen that Mr.. Brewer and son did
not use any commercial fertilizer, but
they did apply manure at the rate of 28
loads to the acre, which is heavy ap-
plication. No one would pretend to
say the crop was not very profitable
one, to say nothing of the Improved
condition OF the land.
THE CORN CROP.
One and one fourth acres of land was
turned eight inches deep and the corn
planted in rows three feet apart and Is
inches in the row, with l50 pounds of
acid phosphate applied in the rev. 1t
was cultivated three times: Spike
tooth harrow when about two inches
nigh, narrow double shoves three
times IN the row at second plowing.
Spike tooth narrow was used the third
time and the land soWed to pease.
From this l / acre patch they gather
ed 1l5 1-2 bushels. The remarkable
thing about 1t was that this was the
second successive year it had been IN
corn.
pease had been sowed on 1t the year
before and hogged off. The lard had
been gradually improved tor several
years by good farming methods, which
accounts to a considerable degree for
the good crop.
While MIR. Brewer and son have
clearly won the blue ribbon IN growing
spuGs, they are considerably behind on
corn, IN spite of their go bushels to the
acre. Pro. j. ,. Cline, Grab Orchard,
grew one year 1872 bushels of corn on
one acre, 122 on another and 80 bushels
on three. .qaurters OF an acre. The next
year he grew $50 bushels on an acre
and had he not met with the misfortune
of having his corn blown down when it
was shooting the ears, there is every !
probability that he would have pro-
duced 200 bushels on the acre. That !
corn was OF the prolific variety and
many stalks had as many as four ear
shoots, but when it was blown down
many failed to make corn.
There are few, it any, farmers in
the county who buy less commercial
fertilizer than Go Mr.. Brewer and son
and who grow such splendid crops as
they do. While that shows excellent
farming, it does not in every case, i'm
ply that larger profits would not be re-
alIzed if commercial fertilizers were
wisely used. The very best farm ex-
oerts claim that fertilizer wisely used