HOME COURSE f
I 1N SCIENTIFIC
AGRICULTURE
TENTH ARTICLE — CORN
CULTIVATION.
By C. P. HARTLEY, Physiologist Id
Charge of Corn Investigations,
United States Department
of Agriculture.
HE methods of corn cultivation
from those in another section.
That certain kinds of cultivators or
plows or methods of planting have
been in use in Georgia or Iowa for
many years does not prove that impk*
ments or methods found successful ir.
Other states might not be used there to
advantage.
Fall plowing cannot be recommend
ed for all soils and localities, but
jshould be more generally practiced
than at present. If a cover crop or
sod is turned under in 'the autumn
decomposition will increase the amount
of plant food available for the crop
next summer. This is true to some ex
tent even though sod is not turned un
der, inasmuch as the simple loosening
of the sail admits atmospheric oxygen
and increases chemical action upon
vegetable and mineral matter. Fall
and winter plowing is one of the best
methods of combating insect pests.
Because the surface of ground plowed
in the fall is drier at planting time in
the spring than that of ground not so
treated, it does not necessarily follow
that there is less moisture in fall plow
ed ground. The fall plowing has en
abled the rainfall better to penetrate
the subsoil, thus relieving the surface
of its excess of moisture. In the spring
fall plowed fields usually contain much
more moisture, but at the same time
have a drier surface than fields which
remain unplowed until spring. In sec
tions where there is much rain during
the winter it is better not to harrow!
the fall plowed land in the autumn.'
in general use in one section
of the country differ greatly
IOWA COBN.
This Is especially true of flue clay soils
that run together and pack readily.
Deep spring plowing and spring sub
soiling are likely to result in diminish
ed crops, especially if done after the
spring rains.
For a deep, rich soil deep plowing is
best, provided it is dene in the fall
or does not render the soil too loose
and dry. For thin clay soils subsoiling
is better than very deep plowing. The
plowing should not be at the same
depth from year to year. A little sub
soil turned to the surface occasionally
allows the elements to act upon it, lib
erating plant food, and as it becomes
mingled with surface soil and vege
table growth the soil depth will be in
creased. It is well to plow a little
deeper each year for several succes
sive seasons and then for one season
give a plowing at about half the depth
of thtu deepest -plowing. Tut-'plow
shoui® be so adjusted that it will turn
all the soil and leave the surtax
smooth. In every instance spring plow
ed land should be pulverized the same
day it is plowed.
Corn planted early most often gives
the best yield. Corn should, of course,
not be planted in cold or wet ground,
but by good drainage, fall plowing,
etc., every farmer should strive to have
bis land in good condition to plant at
the proper time.
Underground drainage will prove
most profitable in the end in handling
low, wet land, hut as this is rather ex
pens've it is sometimes desirable to
Use low. flat land for corn before it is
possible to have it tile drained. Some
times such fields are plowed in small
strips or “lands'’ 4 to G feet wide, and
a row of corn is planted on the ridge or
back furrow of every “land.” This place*
the plants above surface w ater and for
this reason Is satisfactory during wet
weather, but the high situation of the
stalks is a disadvantage during dry
weather. In a method of planting giv
ing general satisfaction for such fields
the ground is back furrowed in lands
eight feet wide, making thereby dead
furrows every eight feet. On eai-h side
and two feet from each dead furrow
shallow rows are marked off, and in
them the corn is planted.
The labor saved by the use of plant
ers is so great that for profitable corn
growing their use is indispensable.
Every spring the planter should be
thoroughly tested and adjusted.
The proper depth to plant must be
governed by the quality and moisture
of the soil. If it is a stiff, heavy clay,
containing plenty of moisture at plant
ing time, one inch is sufficiently deep,
but if it is a light, open, dry soil three
or four inches is a satisfactory depth.
Fortify against dry weather by plant
ing the seed in a furrow, covering it
slightly, and then gradually eultivat-1
ing the furrow full of soil as the plants |
grow. This luetic d of planting is os j
pecially well adapted to deep soils!
where dry weather is likely to prevail!
during the middle or latter part of the;
growing season. The lister fulfills the
requirements of this method.
The lister is used for planting fields
that have been thoroughly plowed and
also for planting directly in last year’s
cornfield or stubble field without previ-1
ons preparation. This latter practice,
however, is not recommended for shal
low or stiff clay soils. i
Perhaps more corn is now planted by
means of a cheek rower than by any
Other device. Some successful growers
of corn have found it profitable to use
two row markers set the same width i
8* their checkrowers.
A proper number of stalks evenly
distributed constitute the best stand
for the production of ear corn, if
planted thicker than this the weight of
stover increases and tlie production
of good ears decreases. If planted
thinner the weight of stover, as well as
of ears, decreases. Small growing va
rieties should be planted thicker than
varieties producing tall stalks. The
distance for planting in a particular
soil should be decided upon and the
planter adjusted to plant accurately
and regularly. Spots missed by the
planter, as well as those depleted by ,
crows, insects, etc., greatly decrease!
the yield per acre. The custom of
planting many times thicker than the
stand of stalks desired is not a good
one. If the seed germinates poorly it
should not be planted, for, although a
stand may be obtained by very thick
planting, the stalks will not be thrifty,
and a reduced yield will result from
using the poor seed. If the seed shows
a germination of 07 per cent or more
in a thorough germination test and it
is then properly planted the stand will
be almost perfect unless very adverse
weather ensues, in whieh case all fh
plants wiil be so injured that th
planting of ttie entire field again wiil
be preferable to replanting tlie missing
hills and will be more easily accom
piished. If a field lias been drilled in but
one direction and for any reason a poor
stand is obtained it can lie replanted
with a checkrower sot to drop one
kernel at a time and operated without
the tripping chain. The checkrower is
driven at right angles to tin* rows of
tiie first planting and is operated so as
to plant just as it crosses each row.
For this purpose two men will lie re
quired, one to drive and one to trip tlie
checkrower as it crosses the corn rows
The most successful corn growers
re a the importance of thorough ear |
ly ca :ration, thus preventing any
check in the growtli of the plants be
cause of weeds or crusted soil. Thrifty
corn plants are thick, strong and of
dark green color.
Horse weeders and harrows should
be used when needed to break a sur
taee erust. cheek insect depredations
or kill young; weeds that start before
the corn is up or large enough to be
worked with other implements. Din
ing the first cultivation, or while the
plants are very small, narrow shovels
that throw the soil but very little
should be used, and fenders are usual
ly found desirable to prevent the cov
ering of the plants.
Many comparative experiments of
deep and shallow cultivation have been
made, and, on the whole, the results
are in favor of shallow cultivation. If
excessive rains have packed the soil
and kept it water soaked deep cultiva
tion will help to dry and aerate the
soil. Breaking the roots of the plants
must be avoided so far as possible
After the plants have reached a height
of two or three feet the soil even in
the middle of the rows should not be
cultivated deeper than four inches, and
usually a shallower cultivation will
prove better. For retaining soil mois
ture a loose soil mulch two or three
inches in thickness is advisable.
Corn should be cultivated often
enough to keep down weeds and to
maintain constantly a loose soil mulch
till the corn has attained its growtlj
TO this end a greater number of .Cul
tivations will be necessary whe^'rajnK
at internals of about a wee'; Pause the
surface soil'id run together and crust.
This crust muse Vi? Jinoken and the soil
mulch restored or evaporation will soon
rob the soil of its moisture.
It is a mistake to think that the
longer the drought the more frequent
should be the cultivations. After a
line mulch of about three inches in
depth has been produced its frequent
stirring is not necessary, except in so
fir as it is required to keep weeds
from starting. Many crops are cut
short by stopping the cultivation, be
cause the corn is too tall for use of a
double cultivator without breaking
down the stalks. If the condition of
the soil demands it shallow cultiva
tion should continue, even though the
corn is tasseling.
It is sometimes profitable to remove
weeds by the costly process of hand
hoeing and even at as late a date as
tne silking time of the corn.
\\ ith a good riding or walking double
cultivator one man can cultivate as
many acres as two men with a one
horse cultivator.
NOTICE.
SALE OF REAL ESTATE FOR
TAXES.
I, R. M. Nowell, Ex-Sheriff of
Johnston County, N. C., will on Mon
day, the 5th dy of May, 1913, at
the Court House door in the town of
Smith field, N. C., at 12 o’clock M.„
offer for sale to the highest bidder
for cash, the following named real
estate to satisfy the taxes for 1912:
WILSON’S MILLS TOWNSHIP.
Geo. H. Barber heirs, 15b acres 14.82
Colored.
Isham Boylan, one lot _*_ 10.62
John Carroll, one lot, . 7.64
Lugenia Judd, one lot. 3.90
Lin McCullers, one lot . 10.22
Pearl Richardson, one lot, .... 9.48
L. R. Richardson, one lot, .... 8.25
CLAYTON TOWNSHIP.
T. L. Ferrell, one lot, . 11.13
J. T. Hinton, three lots, . 15.00
T. B. Johnson, *4 acre, . 4.54
Mrs. Rosa Moore, one lot .... 7.82
W. E. Stallings, one lot, .... 10.60
Colored.
J. L. Byrd, one lot, .97
Clara Cook, one acre, . 1.24
Janies Campbell, one lot, . 4.00
Ruffin Cook, one lot, . 1.36
A. A. Holder, one lot, . 5.10
Cicero Jones, 8 acres, . 3.93
Richmond Jones, 100 acres, .. 7.90
J. A. King, one lot, . 7.41
Frank Lee, one lot, . 4.00
Major Sanders, one acre, .... 10.89
Pleasant Sanders, 25 acres, .. 8.31
John T. Sanders, one lot, .... 11.79
Robert Sanders, one lot, . 6.11
Tony Sanders one lot, . 5.55
Della Vinson, one lot, . 2.35
PLEASANT GROVE TOWNSHIP.
Louis Rogers, 8 acres.3.99
A. B. Currin, 22 acres, . 1.15
BANNER TOWNSHIP.
Laura Dannenberg, 4 acres, .88
J. R. McLamb, one lot, . 1.27
Nathan A. McLamb, 11 acres, 3.46
MEADOW TOWNSHIP.
Frank and Robert Barefoot,
7 acres, . 1.00
Marceline Denning, 70 acres, .. 2.80
W. J. Lee, 40 acres, . 1.90
G. W. Neighbors, 130 acres, 4.75
William McLamb, 18 acres, .... 1.76
BENTONSVILLE TOWNSHIP.
J.M. Crusenberry, 57 acres, .. 2.53
INGRAMS TOWNSHIP.
11. I. Marler, 100 acres, . 3.34
R. 11. Marler, 52 acres, . 2.12
Mrs. S. PI. Moore, 21 acres. 1.39
Willie Stanley, 10 acres. 1.01
\Y. E. Nixon, Col. 51 acres, .... 1.75
BOON HILL TOWNSHIP.
John T. Creech, Sr., 45 acres .. 3.41
Enoch Langley, 2 acres, . 1.10
A. E. Phillips, 100 acres, . 3.10
R. T. Renfrew, 42 acres, . 5.20
Condary Starling, . 3.10
Colored. *
1.75
4.10
George Coley, % acre, .
Major Reid, one acre, .
BEULAH TOWNSHIP.
Mrs. R. D. Batten, one lot.4.70
Mrs. Polly Creech, 25 acres, .. 2.20
Grover Creech, 15 acres. 1.60
R. H. Crocker, 35 acres.2.50
Mrs. J. H. Hawkins, 100 acres, 12.02
David Lucas, 45 acres, . 2.80
J. W. Mozingo, 17 acres, . 2.20
Leonard Pace, 15 acres, . 1.4 ■
James L. Pittman, 18 acres, .. 2.50
Ella R. Pittman, 8 acres, . 1.15
Sanders & Davis, 65 acres, .. 3.70
Willie T. Woodard, 48 acres, 2.80
C. R. Watson, one lot, .96
L. A. Kirby, Col, one lot, . 1.00
ONEALS TOWNSHIP.
J. H. Aycock, 100 acres, . 4.13
Ellington Boykin, 24 acres, .... 1.54
W. I. Gyeen, 54 acres.3.16
Charlie Hicks, 25 acres, . 1.90
J. R. Stancil, 89 acres. 4.71
Nancy Taylor, 60 acres, .2.86
Henry G. Tisdale, 60 acres, .. 3.43
J. A. Wheeler, 116 acres, .5.50
Libia Yarborough, 30 acres, .... 2.08
WILDERS TOWNSHIP.
J. H. Green, 43 acres.3.80
W. H. Hicks, 89 acres . 12.20
J. B. Joyner, 50 acres, . 4.30
Latimia Lumber Co., Timber
lands, ($10,000) . 90.70
O L. Raw ling, 433 acres, _ 31.22
| John Wall, 80 acres, . 5.74
piY'p.* Watson, 70 acres, .5.73
! Florence Riggins, 80 acres, .. 6.10
SEL.IA township.
Nannie J. Bailed one lot.99
Zettie Brown 9 acT®8 2.82
W. G. Best, one lot, . .4.76
A. C. Carter, % acre, .2.50
J. E. Crocker, one lot, _2 40
Mrs. A. G. Edgerton, one lot,
Sadie Johnson, one lot, .4.30
Mrs. L. L. Liles, one lot, .11.20
Wm. McLean, one lot, .1.9^
John McNeil, one lot, . 3.10
T W. Narron, two lots, . 3.10
W. B. Parrish, 10 acres, ...'.4.10
N. V. Richardson, one lot.1.29
W. D. Starliing, one lot, . 5.05
Temple & Liles, 9 lots, .3.40
W. H. Watson, % acre, .5.91
Colored.
Carter Archer, one lot, . 4.20
Thomas Atkinson, one lot, _ 5.50
Amanda Baggett, one lot, _ 3.69
Mila Barnes, one lot, . 1.90
D. C. Bell, one lot, . 7.13
Daniel Burw'ell, one lot, .4.30
Willis Berch, one lot.4.30
Victoria Douglass, one lot.4.30
Charlie Duncan, one lot, . 2.52
Jim Parley, two lots, . 7.90
John Holder, two lots. 5.98
Sam Horton, one lot, . 7.14
Gaston Jones, one lot, . 1.90
T. A. LaSaine, one lot, . 13.09
Julia Lassiter, one lot. 1.90
Julia Parham, one lot, . 3.70
Frank Pettway, one lot, . 4 30
Dock Richardson, 30 acres, .. 3.81
I). It. Richardson, one lot, .... 3.58
J. M. Richardson, one lot.6.55
Royster Richardson, one lot, ,. 1.90
LeRoy Richardson, 3 acres,.97
Algie Sanders, one lot. 6.75
J. H. Sanders, one lot, . 1.30
Han Smith, two lots, . 3.58
Sam Smith, one lot, . 6.55
Jerry Standi, 24 acres, . 5.45
PINE LEVEL TOWNSHIP.
Millard Pittman, 2-6 acres,. 1.90
SMITHF1ELD TOWNSHIP.
W. H. & R. I Lassiter, 1 lot, 36.70
Colored.
Lucy Atkinson, dec'd. Col., 33
acres and 4 lots, .62.50
Handy Allen, one lot. 3.7S
Bettie "Alford, one lot, . 19.27
Dollie and India Alford, one lot 6.68
John Barber, 9 acres, . 3.70
Emma Bridges, one lot, . 5.79
Willis Cole, one lot, . 10.67
James Doublin, one lot, . 1.70
Monroe Doublin, oone lot, .... 4.13
Richard Ennis, one lot, . 10.15
Thurston Frazier, one lot, .... 11.13
D. L. Grady, one lot, . 888
Harvey Hodges, one lot, . 8.39
Buck Hastings, Vi acre, . 5.96
John H. Jones, one lot, . 17.29
Emily Kennedy, one lot, . 5.50
Walter Lassiter, Vi & % acres, 15.45
John Lassiter, one lot, . 7.86
Will Lee, one lot, . 5.06
Mary Morgan, 9V& acres, . 3.70
Oscar Merritt, one lot. 10.32
John Sanders, one lot. 1.60
E. D. Sanders, one lot. 1.30
Isaac Smith, V6 acre, .. 8.32
James M. Smith, one lot, .... 8.65
Bynum Whitfield, one lot, . 2.21
This April 8, 1913.
It. M. NOWELL. Ex-Sheriff John
ston County.
SALE OF TOWN PROPERTY FOR
TAXES.
1, ,T. H. Parker, Tax collector for
the town of Selma , N C., will on
Saturday, May 24, 1913, at the court
house door in the town of Smith
field, X. C., at 12 o’clock M, offer for
sale to the highest bidder for cash
the following named real estate to
satisfy the town taxes for the year
1912.
L. E. Atkinson, one lot 2.70
Robert Atkinson, one lot 5.20
Lula May Barrow one lot 5.70
Carolina Tel. & Tel. Co., Line
and office fixtures, 5.70
T. G. Seay, three lots 2.70
Mrs. Minnie Griffin one lot 2.40
W. G. Best, one lot 2.45
D. C. Bell, one lot 5.45
Victoria Douglass, one lot 4.20
Charlie Duncan, one lot 3.45
Jim Parley, one lot 5.70
Sophia Green, one lot 1.20
Gilbert Gillmore, one lot 5.70
Sampson Hinton, one lot 5.45
John Holder, one lot 4.95
C. C. Hathaway one lot 5.45
Robert Hinton, one lot 5.95
Wayland Jones, one lot 6.20
W. >S. King, three lots 17.70
T. A. LaSaine, one lot 7.95
Tempie Lassiter, one lot 3.45
John Lane, one lot 5.45
Walter Morgan, one lot 2.70
Julia Parham, one lot 2.45
Frank Pettiway, one lot 4.20
Isaac Price, one lot 2.45
Caroline RicbardBOfn, one lot 1.83
John D. Turner, one lot 6.6
Daniel Watson, dec’d 2 lots 5.70
This April 24, 1913
J. H. PARKER,
Town Tax Collector, Selma, N. C.
That Spring
Sewing
You are about ready to begin
that Spring Sewing, but you have
not bought the Sewing Machine.
Let me sell you a
New
Home
and then you will be ready for
sewing. If you will write me
^hat you want to buy I can~send
vNi a machine. Let me hear
froAYou.
'J. M. BEATY
SMITHFIELS ■ North Caroline
WOOD WANTED.
We want to bi1^ one thousand or
more cords of roiiP^ pine wood not
split delivered at j^mithfield at the
lumber mill. Good price for delivery
now or later. Writ^ us> phone us
or call to see us.
RAND & LAWRENCE Smithfield,
n,o.
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To Spend More Money +
For Soda is Easy "
To Buy Anything Better
Than Cerealite is Impossible
for top dressing ;
Oats, Corn, Cotton, Truck and General crops ***
USE ONLY GENUINE "
“Cerealite -
—____ »%
Top Dresssing
Bearing Our Trade Mark
(Don’t be misled by imitations)
"CEREALITE" tt less cost per ton than "Soda" using the
same number of pounds per acre, gives equally as good,
it not better, results than "Soda."
“CEREALITE”
is packed in 200 pound bags, in good mechanical condi
tion, does not stiffen the land, and does not Evaporate.
I he crop gets it all.
For “CEREALITE” & Full Information
regarding it, apply to
COTTER-UNDERWOOD CO., Smithfield, N. C.
COTTER-UNDERWOOD CO., Four Oaks, N. C.
J. H. BOON & SON, Benson, N. C.
OR
Home Fertilizer and Chemical Company
Sole Owners and Manufacturers
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A scarred or scratched table, or a cnair on which the;
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Your TOB PRINTING should
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acme quality
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Use PURE Paint and
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