The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-09-28

QUESTIONS AND REpL1Es.

AMI nEkAAG0s
The Station will be glad to receive
any question on agricultural topics
any one may desire to send. Address
Experiment Station, Raleigh, n. c."
Replies will be written as early IS pos
sible by the member of the Station
staff most competent to do SO, and,
when of general interest, they will also
appear in these columns. The Station
expects, in this way, to enlarge Its
sphere of usefulness and render great
assistance to practical farmers.
Fertilizer for Onions.
IT. growing a crop Of onions: Am using an
a6niated fertilizer, sixteen hundred 600.
pen ta Be Vi.
need more Ammonia and Potash! Would an
application Of cotton seed meal ana sa na t -
m unni F. s. Salisbury. n. G ~
answered BY II. B. Battle, Director Expert.
The 800 lbs. OF the ammoniated fertilizer TO
the acre for the cultivation Of onions Is not the
best that could be applied 1t gives entirely TOO
order to make it Of better service and pore
would suggest the addition Of
so lbs. cotton seed meal,
. ~ ies ,h tsin Mii, man. III. .nprea,fon
more than you can afford, together with what
you have already put on, take half - guam
titles. Onions require mixture giving about
ammonia.
available phosphoric acid,
and from 900 to ZOO lbs. Of this MIXTURE = tho
usuSl application. The equivalent 70 1850 lbs.
Of this mixture per acre could be made by mixing
800 lbs. cotton seed meal
1000 lbs kainit,
ooo lbs. acid phosphate.
Fertilizer to Sow With Glover Fer Hay.
to ln
this Fall. and write to ask you what kind OF
fertilizer to use. and how much per acre. / shall
have to use commercial fertilizer. Please be
definite and name what brands to use II IT has
to be mixed, please say just how much of each
kind. Should you say use fertilizer contain
ing certain Per cent Of one thing and certain
70 - q rrsssd-H s.. Monroe, n. C. ' -0 NV
answered By F: E Emery Asrieulturiss, E1-
pertinent Stat1on.)
Tue condition Of the field should dictate how
much fertilizer should be used; If poor, like
some Of our lands no amount Of fertilizer, but
dressed after sowing, on thoroughly well pre-
pared seeded, would be required to make . fair
stand and good growth of clover.
You do not need to buy nitrogen for clover on
fairly rich soil. What would be needed would
be supplied by the organic matter In the soil.
~. II the soil Is IN good condition you might use
to 80 pounds Ksinitl and 700 pounds OF acid
phosphate per acre. Sow both and harrow in.
with . light roller or light harrow, or If these
are not at hand, light brush. Sometime in
August will probably be suitable to SOW, but if
long dry spell follows, you may count on re-
seeding, IN which case the surface must be 70
narrowed TO q seed bed again.
In the ordinary commercial brands Of fertilix-
ers you pay for what is found In a ton, OF each
of the elements nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and
need purchased nitrogen, because after 1t gets
started to grow It forms 3 sort Of copartnership
with another plant little microscopic plant,
and ''tuberclos" are formed on the clover roots,
and by some obscure means the two gather nj
txogen from the air in the soil Thus We see
clover gathers Its own nitrogen and much more
Of it than most Of our other cultivated plants.
This costs so little and the animal food-value Of
the nitrosen-compounds In the clover, and tho
plant food thus stored in the roots, II what
makes the growing Of clover 50 valuable to US.
II poor :oil Is 70 b used We must get organ.
3 matter into it for two reasons: To hold
moisture for the plants and to encourage pro-
cess called nitrifcat1on and help on the clover
Stable manure plowed in furnishes the plant
food and organic matter direct but is expensive.
The eow-pea belongs TO the Same general family
has tho greater advantage OF being able to
thrive on poorer land than clover can grow
Then vhsn the pea vines are ripe and plowed
10 aud tho clover seed sewn on the well pre-
pared surface, It vegetables quickly and as the
young plants are susceptible to severe changes,
drought may kill them, or . crusted surface
may prevent their coming up. Or Q minute hop
ping insect may come along in great nulnbe
and eat Oh the tender leaves faster than they
manure which acts as . mulch to protect the
plants from shs sun, and hiding the soil prevents
somewhat tho drying out Of the surface and
brings some more plant food directly to tho
plants, which may help them to grow away
from the insects II thoy are present.
The second best course Is to pillow tho ground
we'll and harrow in the fertilizer as directed
Glover not needing nitrogen, you can buy acid
phosphate for the phosporic acid. The brand
Is immateriaL You need now potash Hard
wood ashes contain or 8 per cent Of potash if
not leached, and also lime and some phosphoric
acid which IL favorable for clover.
You burn wood and may have ths ashes at
home. or for few cents per bushel can pick
them up in tho netghborhood, when you will
have the best sort of combination OF chemicals
Ut the very smallest cost. Much now depends
on your preparation OF the seed bed. Harrow
Q rain or good shower.