The ledger. [volume] (Gaffney City, S.C.) 1896-1907, July 17, 1908, Image 5
E. M. Williamson's Corn Method
"Southern Corn For the South"
pensive nitrogen. The needs of our
soil are such that the South can never
reap the full measure of prosperity
that should be hers until this is done.
I give this method as a farmer to
the farmers of the South, trusting
that thereby they may be benefited
as I have been.
E. M'lver Williamson.
For a number of years after 1 be
gan to farm I followed the old-time
method of putting the fertilizer all
under the corn, planting on a 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
more corn the next spring, until final
ly I was driven to the conclusion that
corn could not be made on uplands in
COSTUMES AND THE TRAITOR.
plenty of nerve is required to hold , . . . M ......
back your corn when your neighbors, Difficulties of Costuming a Mod r
who fertilized at planting time and Play Are Greater Than Imagined,
cultivated rapidly, have corn twice The costuming of any play requires :
the size of yours. (They are having much care and thought and in some
their fun now. Yours will come at ca8e j, when the scenes are laid in the .
harvest time). The richer the land ; distant past, weeks of research are;
the more necessary it is that the necessary before absolute accuracy j
stunting process should be thorough- j S attained in design, cloths and ,
ly done. : colorings. The theatre-goer who has ,
When you are convinced that your no t made a etudy like “The Traitor" |
this section, certainly not by the old I corn has been_ suffldently humiliated, [ by Channing Pollock and Thomas (
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 suc
ceeded, and never would, so £ began
to experiment. First I olanted lower,
aad the yield was better, but the
stalk was still too large; so I discon-
tiaued altogether the application of
fertilizer before planting, and, know
ing that all crops should be fertilized .
as a side application, and applied the'the other middle the same way. With-1 j)i a y f 0 r the simple reason that newly ,
more soluble nitrate of soda later, i in a few days side corn in first mid- tailored clothing would be too new. i
being guided in this by the excellent 1 die with sixteen-inch sweep. Put all of course the gowns worn by the la-1
you may begin to make the ear. It nixon. Jr., it would be comparatively
should now be from twelve to eight-1 easy to provide the proper costumes.!
teen inches high, and look worse This is not the case. Often It is more i
than you have ever had any corn to | difficult to correctly garb characters |
look before. ; who lived in 1872, the period of this ,
Put half of your mixed fertilizer play, than those who lived hundreds ot |
(this being the first used at all) in | years ago. In the case of ancient cos-, i
the old sweep furrow on both sides , tumes they are made from old plates ;
of every other middle, and cover b? an d drawings. In this case it is neces-
breaking out this middle with turn sar y to hunt up clothing that was
plow. About one week later treat; actually used during the period of the
results 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
your nitrate of soda in this furrow, If dies are made new but the garments
less than 150 pounds. If more, use worn by the men are more effective ;
one-half of it now. Cover with ona j if they are the old clothes that were i
, furrow of turn plow, then sow peas ( actually worn during the period of,
suggested that* they should be plant* | in the middle broadcast at the rate of the play.
ed thicker in rhe drill. This was done 1 at least one bushel to the acre, and one of the most difficult problems j
the next year, with results so satis-i finish breaking out. 'was to procure the proper costumes i
factory that I continued from year toi I* 1 a few days side corn in other for the bogus Ku Klux Klan. It was,
vear to increase the number of stalks ; middle with same sweep, put balance hard enough to get the right idea for 1
and the fertilizer with which to sus-!‘>f nitrate of soda in this furrow if it | the white robes of the Ku Klux Klan |
tain them; also to apply nitrate of j has been divided, cover with turn in “The Clansman" but these difflcu-
soda at last plowing, and. to lay by plow, sow peas, and break out. This ties were Increased a hundred fold
early, sowing peas broadcast. This
method steadily increased the yield,
until year before last (l!t04i, with
corn eleven inches apart in six-foot
L/-
lays by your crop with a good bed j when it came to costuming “The
and plenty of dirt around your stalk.; Traitor." After all the reason is
This should be from June 10th to simple. The original Ku Klux Klan
20th, unless season is very late, and : saved the South and now that secrecy
rows, and $11 worth of fertilizer to j corn should bo hardly bunching tor is no longer necessary there are some 1
the acre, I made eighty-four bushels ! ,asse l- ! who will show some of the old cos-
average to the acre, several of my ! I* a y by early. More corn is ruined tumes that have been carefully pre ,
best acres making as much as 125 :l a,< * plowing than by lack of plow-; served. It must be remembered,
bushels. ing. This is when the ear is* hurt, however, that the imitation Klans
Last year (1305) I followed the Two good rains after laying 'by should were not only pursued by the Nation-'
samt- method, planting the first week make you a good crop of corn, and al government but by the original '
in April, seventy acres which had '* "’ill certainly make with much less; Klan. They were traitors even to'
rain than was required In the old, i heir old comrades. Of course they!
way. are held In detestation by everyone ,
sandy upland. somewhat rolling.! The stalks thus raised are very and naturally It is extremely difficult
Season^ were vi-ry unfavorable, owing small and do not require anything , to find one of the red robes that they'
to th< . remedous rains in May and] like the moisture even In proportion , wore to serve as a pattern. It was
the dry and exiremely hot weather j to size, that is necessary for large only through the wide acquaintance
la 4 er. From June 12th to July 12th, sappy stalks. They may, therefore. *
the time when it most needed mois-; be left much thicker In the row. This
ture, there was only live-eighths of an j is no new process. It has long been
Inch of rainfall here; yet with $7.01, a custom to cut hack vines and trees
cost of fertilizer, my yield was fifty ; in order to increase the yield and
two bushels per acre. Rows were six i quality of fruit; and so long as yon paly the roles of negroes
feet and corn sixteen inches in drill. I do not hold back your corn, it will j the stage negro is
produced the year before 1,000 pounds
seed cotton per acre. This land Is
With this method, on land that will
ordinarly produce 1,000 pounds of
seed cotton with 800 pounds of fer
tilizer, fifty bushels of corn per acn*
should be made by using 200 pounds
of cotton seed meal, 200 pounds of
aetd phosphate, and 400 pounds of
Kiiiuft mixed, or their equivalent In
that Mr. Dixon has throughout the
South that this original red robe was
found.
Another difficulty is to get the j
proper costumes for the actors who
As a rule
negro is rarely ever
go, like mine so long went, all to'dressed like a real colored man. A
stalk. man or woman who plays in black-
Do not be discouraged by the looks face is generally satisfied to put on
of your corn during the process of any nondescript costume which is
cultivation. It will yield out of all i hardly ever true to life,
proportion to its appearance. Large . if anyone doubts the difficulty of
stalks cannot make large yields, ex-1 finding out about the costumes of
crept with extremely favorable sea- i even so recent a period as 1872 ask
other fertilizer, and 125 pounds of i sons, for they cannot stand a lack of i some old gentleman about the cloth-
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
fertilized, a hundred bushels of corn
moisture. Karly applications of man
ure go to make large stalks, which
you do not want, and the plant food
is all thus used up before the ear,
which you do want, is made. Tall
should be produced by doubling the!stalks not only will not produce well
themselves, but will not allow you to
make the pea vines, so necessary to
the improevement of land. Corn rais
ed by this method should never grow
ov?*r seven and one-half feet high,
and the ear should bei near to the
ground.
I consider the final application of
nitrate of soda an essential point in
this ear-making process. It should al
ways be applied at last plowing and
unmixed with other fertilizers.
I am satisfied with one ear to the
stalk unless a prolific variety is plant
♦id, and leave a hundred stalks for
every bushel that I expect to make.
1 find the six-foot row easiest to cultl-
amount of fertilizer above, excenl
that 200 pounds of nitrate of soda
should be a**. '•
In .each case there should be left
-^o-the land in corn stalks, peas, vines
and roo^ from $12 to $16’worth of
fertilizing material per acre, beside
the great benefit to the land from so
large an amount of vegetable matter.
The place of this in the permanent
Improvement of land can never be
taken by commercial fertilizer, for it
is absolutely impossible to make
lands rich as long as they are lacking
in vegetable matter.
Land should be thoroughly and
deeply broken for corn, and this is
the time in a system of rotation to vale without injuring the corn. For
deepen the soil. Cotton requires a
more compact soil than corn, and
while a deep soil is essential to its
best development, it will not produce
as well on loose, open land, where
corn does best on land thoroughly
broken. A deep soil will not only
produce more heavily than a shallow
soil with good seasons, but it 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 it
has been plowed before, or if much
vegetable matter is being turned un
der, it may be broken one-third deep
er. This is as much deepening as
land will usually stand in one year
fifty bushels to the acre, I leave it
sixteen inches apart; for seventy-five
bushels to the acre, twelve inches
apart, and for one hundred bushels,
eight inches apart. Com should be
planted from four to six Inches below
the level, and hid by from four to six
inches above. No hoeing should be
necessary, and middles may be kept
clean until time to break out, by using
harrow or by running one shovel fur
row in centre of middle and bedding
on that with one or more rounds of
turn plow.
I would advise only a few acres
tried by this method the first year,
or until you are familiar with Its
application. Especially is it hard, At
ing of that period. See if yqu can
get a detailed description from which
a tailor could reprdouce that cos
tume. It 18 dOUbtftfl if any managT
spends as much time and care upon
costuming a modern play as George
H. Brennan has spent upon “The
Traitor” and before that upon “The
Clansman."
In fact this same care and atten
tion has been extended to every de
tail of the production of “The Trait
or.” So when this thrilling play of
the decline and fail of the Ku Klux
Klan comes to the Harris Theatre at
Spartanburg, S. C., on Saturday night,
December 5th, those who see the
stirring scenes will witness a pro
duct ion that is a perfect reproduction
of the period portrayed. No detail
has been overlooked that would make
for accuracy. Every scene breathes
of the balmy atmosphere of the
South.
The sale of seats for this big pro
duction begins Tuesday, December
ist. Address I, H. Greenwald, man
ager, Spartanburg, S. C.
first, to fully carry out the stunting *
Agricultural Commandments.
At an early period it was found
of ethical teaching, a few general
necessary to evolve from the mass
rules for living, called “The Ten Com
mandments," by which a man could
be moral without going through a
course in theology. Just so, in order
to instruct the average farmer how
to successfully conduct his farm
operations so as to secure a greater
net gain from the farm, it is neces
sary to first deduce from the mass
and produce well, though It may be | process, where a whole crop Is in
volved, and ihis is the absolutely OT*
sential part of the process
This method I have applied, or seen
applied, successfully to all kinds ot
land in this section, except wet lands
and moist bottoms, and I am confi
dent it can be made of great benefit
throughout the entire South.
In the middle West, where corn is
continued each year, so long as much
dead vegetable matter is being turn
ed under. It may, however, be sub
soiled to any depth by following in
bottom of turn plow furrow, provided
no more of the sub-soil than has been
directed is turned up. Break with
two heavy plows, if possible, or, bet
ter, with disc plow. With the latter,
» i _
cotton stalks or corn stalks as large, so 'prolific and profitable, and where
as we ever make can be turned un-, unfortunately for us, so much of ourt
der without having been popped,
and in pea vines it will not ™oke or
drag.
Never plow land when it is wet, it
you expect ever to have any use for
it again.
Bed with turn plow in six-foot rows,
has been produced, the stalk docs not
naturally ftrow large. As we come
South its size increases, at the ex
pense of the ear, until in Cuba and j
Mexico it is nearly all stalk (witness
Mexican varieties).
The purpose of this method is to
leaving five-inch balk When ^ady j eilminate this tendency of com to
to plant, break this out with scooter,
following in bottom of this 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
overgrowth at the exnense of yield in
this Southern climate.
By this method I have made my
com crop more profitable than my
cotton crop, and my neighbors and
grain every five or six inches. Plant i who J 18 ' 6 ^ ^ av *’
early, as soon as frost danger is past, Mhmit exception, derived great bene-
say first seasonable spell after March therefrom.
15th, 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
Plant your own seed. I would not
advise a change of seed and method
the same year, as you will not then . *
know from which you have derived so ’ 1 i^ en ? ‘ armB i
of agricultural teachings a few gen
eral rules of procedure. They are
called “The Ten Commandments of i
Agriculture,’” by the practice of j
which a mau may be a good farmer |
in any state without being a grad- \
uate from a college of agriculture.
The Ten Commandments of Agricul
ture.
(1) Prepare a deep and thoroughly
pulverized seed bed, well drained;
break in the fall to the depth of 8, 10
or 12 inches, according to the soil,!
with implements that will not bring |
too much of the subsoil to the sur- i
face; (the foregoing depths should be!
reached gradually).
£2) Use seed of the best variety, 1
Intelligently selected and carefully:
stored.
(2) In cultivated crops, give the j
rows and the plants in the rows a
space suited to the plant, the sou and
the climate.
(4) Use intensive tillage during
the growing period of the crops.
(5) Secure a high content of
humus in the soil by the use of leg
umes. barnyard manure, farm refuse,
and commercial fertilizers. ,
(6) Carry out a systematic crop
rotation with a winter cover crop on
Gold Watches
TO BE
Given Away
BY
Gaffney
A Solid Gold Watch (gentlemen's size) will be awarded to the
most popular male mill operative in Cherokee County, and a
Solid Gold, Watch (ladies’ size) will be awarded to the most
popular female mill operative. One of these Watches is now
on exhibition in the’show window of the Gaffney Jewelry Co.,
and the other in the show window of T. H. Westrope, where
they can be seen. Vote early and often.
The Conditions of The Conest are Simple
Cut out the coupons printed in each issue of The Ledger
and mail or bring them to this office. At the expiration of the
time set for the closing of the contest, December 22nd, the
votes will be counted and the awards made to the persons re
ceiving the highest number of votes.
C O U R O N
i
I vote for
as the most popular mill operative in
Cherokee County.
the benefit. I have used three varie-
any plow that will not cover tha, ties, and all have done well. T liave
plant. For second working, use ten
or twelve-inch sweep on both sides
of corn, which should now be about
eight inches high. Thin after this
working. It is not necessary that the
plants should be left all the same dis
tance apart if the right number re
main to each yard of row.
Corn should not be worked again
until the growth has been so retard
ed. and the stalk so hardened that ft
will never grow too large. This is
the most difficult point in the whole
procetA. ^Experience and judgment
are required to know just bow much
the stalk should be stunted, and
never used this method for late plant
ing. In fact, I do not advise the late
nlanting of corn, unlesa it be neces
sary for cold lowlands.
The increased cost of labor and the
high price of all mareriai and land
are rapidly making farming unprofit
able, except to those who are getting
from one acre what Ihey formerly
got from two. We must make our
lands richer by plowing deep, plant*
ing peas and other legubea, manuring
them with acid phosphate and potash,
which are relatively cheap, and re
turning to the soil the resultant vege
table matter rich in humus and ex
(7) Accomplish more work in a
day by using more horse power and
better implements.
(8) Increase the farm stock to
the extent of utilizing all the waste
products add idle lands of the farm.
(9) Produce all the food required
for the men and animals on the farm.
(10) Keep an account of each
farm product, in order to know from
which the gain or loss arises.
S. A. Knapp.
—The most popular lady, the dim
mond ring. Gaffney Jewelry Co.
—We have nice selections of furs
W. J. Wilkins A Co. /
In Addition to the Above
every person subscribing: or renewing will be permitted to cast
votes for his choice as follows:
A two months subscription entitles the subscriber to 25
votes; a three months subscription to 40 votes; a four months
subscription to 50 votes; a six months subscription to 75 votes;
an eight months subscription to 100 votes, and a yearly sub
scription to 150 votes.
Vote early and often and give your favorite a nice, hand
some and servicable Christmas present.
The Contest Closes December 22nd
Mail or Bring all Votes to
The Ledger,
Gaffney, S. C.
frla
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