Newspapers / The Lincoln Times (Lincolnton, … / Jan. 18, 1907, edition 1 / Page 1
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NCOLN CO News. NTY TWIC E A WEEK . ' Hew to the Line. Let the Chins Full as they May, $1 00 PER YE All VoL 1 r ' . :-; ::;::' v:-LINCOLNTON, N. C, FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 1907. ' f No, 5. ' . .. T- 1 ".- I ......... . .. - .. . REMARKABLE DISCOVERY IN CORN CUUURE Evidence at Recent Corn Congress of Farmers Who Have Tried the "Plan" With Great Success J he Questions and,the Answers. From The Columbia State. Mont Clare," Darlington County, Dec. 21. "The most important agricultural discovery ever made in the Southern States." So says Prof. Harper, the brainy professor of agriculture at Clemson College. "An amazing discovery, destined to revolutionize agriculture in the South." So says Prof. C. Lewis Newman, associate professor of agriculture. "A success beyond question and too far ahead of existing methods to permit a comparison. " So say thousands of farmers, from Virginia to Texas, who have tried the plan. A method that increased the yield of corn from 100 to 800 per cent will certainly work a revo lutionnot merely, a change, but a far-reaching revolution. ; Mr. E. Mclver Williamson of Darlington county has evolved a plan for increasing corn yieldathat has done these things indicated above. ' So much has been published about the plan and so many people are talking of it so much hope rests upon it that it is necessary to say that the plan has. resulted from ten years' careful experimen tation. There was no chance in it Parts of the plan had been in use beforeyBut as a whole, Mr. Wil liamsen has brought it out and while he does not claim it as per feet, nor e ven yet complete, he does assert, and the facts back it up, that the true principle has been found and on this all subsequent development must rest IDEA OF STUNTING THE (X)KN. The principle rests on the idea of stunting the corn. Stunting is the word. This may be done on any kind of soil, according to the verdict of the farmers at the recent corn congress " in Darlington, al though Mr. Williamson himself says he has no river land and therefore knows nothing of the ef fect on this kind of soil. Others say itmakes no " difference. The principle is the same in every case, although it may be varied ac coixling to conditions. The plan will - be described in detail further on in the article. Some of the results as obtained ""by practical farmers are given here with, and the testimony was alto gether voluntary. Any one who has tried toget farmeiirter talk will recognize how hafd it is to get expressions of opinion from them, and these expressions are the most valuable in light of that fact , f HE CORN CONGRESS. At Darlington, on Dec. 13 last, a meeting had been called to dis cuss the Williamson plan and there was a gathering in response of the leading planters of Darlington and adjoining counties. Owing to some confusion and misunderstanding as .' to the date, Prof C. Lewis Newman of Clemson college, associate pro . fesser of agriculture, who was ask - ed to act as umpirepvas not pres ent and this was regretted. As St turned out there was no need of an umpire, - opinion being unanimous and experiences practically ideri tical. As published in The State, Mr. It. II. Rogers, one of the staunchest and most conservative farmers in f' - the state, was made chairman of the congress and Mr. A. J. How ard, secretary. Mr. E. Mclver Williamson, orig inator of the plan, was called on to state the object of the meeting and he did so briefly, with character istic point He spoke of it as "our plan" and prefers that it may be called by some other name than his, of course this is now impossi ble. ' After briefly reviewing the plan he stated to the meeting that the farmers present would be called on to give their experiences with tbe two plans, the old way and the Williamson plan and said that while he knew farmers were not talkers that in this case . every far mer should consider it his duty to make known his experience. Time and money had been spent to bring this plan to a working basis and the world should get the benefit, especially the farmers of the South era States. For as the Southern farmer had been situated he had to take the price for his cotton which the buyer set But with plenty of corn the Southern farmer can bide his time,hold his cotton and the manufacturer would have to pay full value for cotton. . QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. The questions were: How much corn was raised under the new plan! How much under the old way! What improve'ment was there in land! What, changes were necessa ry in the orriginal plan, as first published in the Hartsville Messen ger!'".. ", Mr. R. H. Rogers said that when he quit planting corn, because it was unprofitable, he was raising from 10 to 15 bushels to the acre as a maximum crop; the average was much lower. Four years ago he began with the Williamson plan and the first season got from 30 to 33 bushels to the acre. The next year he planted 15 acres and aver aged 43 bushels. The.fertl..er cast $8 an acre; the next year, which was bad for Corn, he got ' also 43 bushels average. This year he av eraged 53 bushles. There had been vast improvement in land under this method. The fertilizing ma tenal left was worth all oi 15 an acre. The article in the Hartsville Messenger covered the case fully, (This article was republished in The State, and is republished again today on account of its importance to T farmers. On one acre,- on which he had . put 125 worth of fertilizer he made 101 bushels and 17 quarts. There were stalks on this acre. r. 15,000 MR. J. B. EDWARDS' TESTIMONIAL Mr. John B. Edwards testified that he knew Mr. Williamson, had confidence in him and had kept his article, but was prevented from following it absolutely on account of wet weather. He averaged about 35 bushels, with $9 worth of fertilizer, in' the" following 'pro portion: 100 pounds potash, 200 pounds nitrate of soda and 300 pounds acid phosphate, v He be lieved he would have made 50 bushels if the plan had been ; fol lowed closely. Land had certain ly been improved to the full- value of fertilizer used. Mr. J. T. Goodson gave an inter esting account of two of his neigh bors. Mr. E. W. Mcintosh had made 45 bushels with $6 worth of fertilizer and Mr. G. F. Wallace 90 bushels with 900 pounds of fertii zer. Mr. David R. Coker here ex plained that he had seen Mr. Wallace's corn and it had been gathered late, with fowls feeding on it forover two months. He had never seen such a sight. Mr. Goodson continued, saying that he himself had made 30 bush els average where he only partly followed the plan; where he follow- ed it strictly he had made 45 bushels. He thought the original plan alright and saw no need to change anything in the article. The land had been improved more than tire value of the fertilizer method with $150 worth of fertili used. zer on 40 acres, he had made 250 Mr. John T. Rogers said that he made 49 bushels three to four years there was, more than 100 per cent ago and last year he made from 50 increase although he had not follow to 60 bushels to the acre. On 35 ed the plan strictly. If he had is acres this year he had made about 0 bushels average. On land that has been ruined by tenant he made ' thirty-five bushels. The Williamson plan was the correct way to raise corn. If adopted general- ly, we would be selling corn, es- pecially ' to Georgia, which is a large consumer ol this article, There was entirely too much water this vear to be a good corn year. Cowpeas should be allowed to stay I on land and there should be no fodder pulled. Land had been im- testified to a fact which all farmers proved to irire than value of ferti- admitted, namely, that it was eas lizer. ier and cheaper to cultivate corn "WHAT MR. D. R. COKER SAID. Mr. David R, Coker gave some inependent testimony on the sub ject. Mr. Coker is a merchant and an editor but has keen interest in agricultural pursuits. He thought a merchant did harm to sell corn to farmers. They should raise it and under this plan they could raise it. He thought the plan would make corn as much of a staple in the South as it was in the Middle West. The discovery was a tremendous thing for this part of the country. As to the plan of stunting com, no one could form an idea of how ugly ifr looked when being stunted. A farmer passing by Mr. Williamson's place at this stage said that the corn was the poorest he had ever seen and be- lieved he would make nothing. In Julv it was the sorriest thing he ever saw; four weeks later the same man said it was the finest thiner he ever saw. Mr. W. B. McCown .said he had made 80 bushels ou an average ol six acres. formerly ne maue about 10 bushels with 800 pounds of fertilizer. The plan is worth a great deal to land; he would not taKe io tor ieriuizmg material left on the land. He put $13 worth of fertilizer to the acre. The plan needed no change. ME. R. E. JAMES Mr. - R. E James had followed the plan. In 1904 on 10 acres, he averaged 40 bushels in 1905 on 12 acres, he averaged 43 bushels. The corn this season was so thick he had become uneasy and had con- suited Mr.-wmianwon.-who-rw4i"eaiJan Ior lIU 1 sured him. Two weeks after put ting on the top-dressing the crop showed results. In 1906, he had averaged 43 bushels on 14 acres ever had in his life. If he had fol- lowed the plan strictly he to satis fled he would have made 60 bjusheb It was a bad year for corn. His land would have made 400 pounds of seed cotton without fertillizer Fifteen bushels was the limit to to the acre before and he always used 500 pounds of fertilizer. He ,j 1.1. . a,. , . Id not have the stuff taken off w his land, that was left after gather ing corn, for 110 aii acre. Land had been improved almost beyond cal culation. AHEAD OF OLD METHOD Mr. C. H. Ellis had followed the plan for 11 years. It was too far ahead of the old method for any mmnArinnn to be made. He al- ways sowed a bnshel of peas broad- cast to the acre. He thought the plan perfect He bad first planted in checks, and made nothing but stalks. Since then he he had plant- 1 deen as nossible. If the rdan " 1 : r " were generally adopted com would be sold- to Georgia and North Caro- Una. Mr. B. H. Rodgers of Socity Hill had an eYnerienoe almost' with Mr. Ellis. Mr. J. A. Howard always bought L0rn. Last year, under the. old bushels. This year he is satisfied sure he would have . made 2,000 to 2,500 bushels. Material left on the land is worth more than the fertili- zer used. Mr. Charls Law said he followed the plan strictly and had no apolo gies on that score. On 10 acres. four-foot rows he had made 45 bushels. In the old way he would have made 10 bushels on the same land. Land was improved to the fut value of the fertilizer. On 20 acres of abandond land he had av- eraged 30 bushels. Mr. Law here under the Williamson plan than under the old method. He was forced to build new barns to hold his corn., . REMARKABLE TESTIMONY. ' Mr. Fred W. Law followed this with remarkable testimony as to his experience. He had tried to I follow plan strictly and had aver- aged 40 bushels on 24 acres. Forty acres formerly did not yield to fill the barn, although five hun dred pounds of fertilizer had been used to the acre. On 20 acres under the Williamson plan, he had made one-third more than on 40 acres, under the old plan. The product of the 20 acres more than filled a barn, that had never leen filled from the 40 acres and he had to build a new barn to hold the overflow. This was not a good vear for corn. The W llhamson i . . plan left the land in better condit ion. It was easier to cultivate laud under this method and much cheaper Mr. Wayne G King testified that he had made 80 bushels on game acies. He had in all 26 acres and the average was 60 bushels, with $7.15 worth of fertii izers to the acre, it was not so exDensive to cultivate corn this wav and it was easier. His land was good average laud that would make 500 pounds of cotton without fertilizer. The Williamson plan was all right in every particular, A CHEBERFIELD FARMER Mr. R. S. Grant of Chesterfield county had formerly made 10. to 20 bushels average on good land. I ' 1 . .. 1 1 I A. 1 Z time ami had made 76 bushels on an average on 10 acres. Un one tract oi acres ne nau maue uy actual measurement 2,300 or more than 57 bushels to tne acre, oaves the amount spent for fertili- zer for coining crops. On the 10 acres which he made the 76 bush els to the 'acre, he had formerly made 20 bushels. He stunted corn by keeping fertilizer and soil away from it To this remarkable, conclusive testimony I wish to add other that goes straight to the mark and does s " . . not lacK exactness oi uescnpuoii Mr.. G Walter Abbott, of- Mont Clare. Darliugton county, said when asked for his ' testimony "On two and one-third acres made five and a half wagon loads of corn. The wagon body shelled out 19 2-5 bushels and; the total amount was 102 1-2 bushels, or 44 bushels to the acre. The land was a sandy hillside without clay sub soil and it was a first attempt. On tnis land 1 would have made about six bushels of corn this year with about two huudred pounds of fertilizer. It would have I .. brought 300 pounds of seed cot ton ' without fertilizer. I: did not hold off fertilizer as long as the plan called for. Did not stunt enough and am sure I would have made 12 bushels more an acre, if the plan had been strictly followed. Com planted in the old way grew off fine and I got scared. Im provement of the soil more than exceeds value of fertilizer used. There are about two tons of stuff left to the. acre, mostly pea vine hay. I used following fertilizer: 300 pounds cotton seed meal; 200 pounds kainit; 100 pounds nitrate of soda, equal in value to $7.60." A VIVID CONTRAST In vivid contrast to this modem method is Mr. Abcott's experience with seven acres cultivated in the old way. This was better land' about . the best land he had had made a bale ol cotton to the acre on it. He worked it more than laud under the Williamson plan and used $2.40 worth of fertilizer per acre. Good farmers said on the 20th of June that it would make', more than the Williamson plan. He gathered all the corn off those seven acres m two wagon- loads, and it was mostly nubbins, shell ing out 5 1-2 bushels to ihe load. He thinks the Williamson plan O. K. and that the word "stunt" should ba emphasized; The Williamson plan will be generally adopted next year. The old way does not improve the land ANOTHER EXPERIENCE. Mr. Manly J. Moody, who lives at Riverside, Darlington county planted 41-2 of good sandy upland that would make 1,000 pounds of seed cotton when well fertilized, He followed the plan closely Thi ield was 47 bushels and 1 peck to the acre. He used 400 pounds amnion iated fertilizer and 100 pounds of nitrate of soda. ; On ten acres old plan, which was worked more than the corn under the Wil iamson plan, he made 10 bushels to the acre. This corn grew off tine and promising. The William son plan takes less work. These experiences are exact, and 1)0 th Messrs; Moody and Abbot are men of unquestioned standing in their communities. Mr. Abbot also says that when he saw Mr. Williamson's corn June he said it would not make two bushels to the acre, ana mat a mourn later ne was ready to stake-his judgment thrt it would make 100 bushels to the acre. So wonderful is the change wrought in such short time under this method. Owing to the interest manifested in tbcWilliamson plan of corn cut ture The State today reproduces in detail the discovery ol a successful Darlington county former. It fol lows: "For a number of years af ter I began to farm T followed the old time method ot put The Williamson Plan." 'We are publishing at length in this issue an article on the discov ery of a new method, for planting corn which, if successful, will iin- questionably revolutionize the farming interests of the. botith. As the entire wealth of the Nation originates in the country, and on the farm, anything that benefits the farmer is a boon to the coun try at large. We hope that Lin coln county tarmem will make a thoi-ougirtest'orMrrWilliamson'M plan for raising corn, and trust it will prove all that is claimed for it. The article published is copied from The State, of Columbia, S.C., ami nnr attention was called to the matter bv Mi" D. W. Robin son, a Lincoln county boy, whom we all know and admire. In the many successes which have come Mr. Robinson remains true and loyal to his country and people, and this is an evidence of hLs thoughtfulness for their '.welfare. ting the fertilizer all under the corn, planting on a level or higher. six ly three leet. pushmer 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 liought much more corn the next spring until finally I was driven to the conclusion that corn could not be made on uplands in this section, certainly not by the old method, except at a loss. j "I did not give up, however, for I knew that a farmer who did not make his own corn never had suc ceeded, and never would, so I be gan to experiment. First, I planted lower, and the yield was better, but the stalk was still too large, so I discontinued al together the application of fertili zer before planting, and knowing that all crops should be fertilized at some time, I used mixed fertili zer as a side application and ap plied the more soluble nitrate of soda later, being guided in this by the excellent resulte obtained from its use as a top dressing for oats. Still the yield, though regular, was not large, and the smallnes of the stalks now suggested that they should be planted thicker in the drill. This was done the next year with results so satisfactory that I continued from year to year to in crease the number of stalks and the fertilizer, with which to sustain them, also to apply nitrate of soda at last plowing, and to lay by early sowing peas broadcast This meth od steadily increased the yeild un til year befor last (1904) with corn 11 inches apart in six-foot rows and $11 worth of fertilizer to the acre, I made 84 bushels average to LUC ilUC. SL-Vt-1711 Ul HIV LRTiL iHl making as much as 125 bushels. "Last year (1905) I followed the same method, planting the first week in April 70 acres which had produced the year before 1,000 pounds seed cotton per acre. This land is sandy upland, somewhat rolling. Seasons were very unfav orable, owing to the tremendous rains in May and the dry and ex tremely hot iveather later. From June 12 to July 12 the time when it most needed moisture, there was only five-eights of an inch of rain fall here; yet with $7.91 cost of fertilizer, my yeild was 52 bushels per acre. Rows were six feet and corn 16 inches in drill. "With this method, on land that will ordinarily produce 1,000 pounds of seed cotton with 800 pounds of fertiliver, 50 bushels of corn per acre should . bemade by using 200 pounds of cotton seed meal, 200 pounds of acid phosphate and 400 pounds of kainit mixed, or their iquiyalentjn other, fertilizer, and 125 pounds of nitrate of soda, all to be used as side application as directed below. "On land that will make a bale ami one-half of cotton per acre .whenjvel fertilized, a hundred bushels of corn should be produced by doubling the amount of fertili zer above, except that 300 pounds of nitrate of soda should be used. "In each case there should ne left on the hind in corn stalks, peas, vines and root, from. $12 to $16 worth of fertilizer material per acre, besides the great benefit, to the land from so large an amount of this in the permanent improve ment of land can never be taken by commercial fertilizer, for it is abso lutely impossible to make lands i rich as long as they are lacking in vegetable matter. "Land should be throughly and deeply broken for corn, and this is in a system of rotation to deepen the soil. Cotton requires a more compact soil than corn, and while a deep soil is essential to its Continued on page 3 -
The Lincoln Times (Lincolnton, N.C.)
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Jan. 18, 1907, edition 1
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