The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1894-02-15

are taken from the Southern Cultivator
and Dixie Farmer:
GROUND PEAS.
have barrel of ground peas, left
over from last years seed. Would they
do we'll for planting this year? Will be
thankful for an answer as soon as pos
sible.
1t is not likely that the peas are suit
able for planting this year. They easily
become rancid, which condition can only
be detected by inspection. If not rancid,
they will answer.
GRASSES.
l. Please tell me all about burr clo-
yer, when and how to plant it. want
1t for grazing. My soil is shallow with
stiff clay subsoil.
2. What grasses would you SOW for a
general pasture? How would the clover
do to mix with some Of the grasses in
Pamela county?
1. Burr clover (medicago denhculata-
ta-medicago maculata) is native of
the Mediterranean region, which has
been naturalized in most warm climates.
1t is widely distributed in California,
where it is considered of great value.
1t was first introduced into the southern
states by the late Bishop George F.
Pierce in 1867, and planted at his home
in Hancock county, Georgia. In Mis-
slssippi it has been grown by Mr.. Ed
win Q. Reed, of Meridian, who states
that it is all that could be desired as
winter and spring pasture. With stock
IT is an acquired taste, and they will not
eat it when moro palatable plants are
offered. 1t is a good renovator, and
while an annual, reseeds ITSELF if not
pastured too late and too close. The
burs make it very Objectionable as
pasture sfor sheep. To SOW, prepare as
for common clover, and SOW 20 pounds
of clover seed to the acre early in the
autumn.
2. 1t will be difficult to get pasture
that will answer for both winter and
summer. For summer pasture, Bermuda
and crab grass are the best. Red clover
is valuable in early spring and autumn.
On northern hillsides herds grass will
give fine summer pasture. White
clover is exceedingly valuable FOR GER
tain kinds of stock, but like red clover,
after the maturity of the seed it sail
Yates horses.
For winter pasture, meadow oat grass,
orchard, blue and fenell grass, or wild
rye and rye and white clover. One
bushel of orchard, meadow oat and wild
rye each; four quarts of blue grass, red
and white clover. This is the COM
pound given by Howard in his Manual
of Grasses. Meadow oat and orchard
thus will do well. In latitude of Pamela
county is high enough, but we are not
familiar enough with the soil to say
whether clover will do we'll or not.
IMPROVING LAND.
Please let me know how corn stalks
compare with pine straw for stable;
also which will be the better fertilizer.
l can fill my stable with corn stalks
| about as quickly as straw, and it makes
good bed after few days. I am after
something to improve the land.
The value of either pine straw or corn
stalks as fertilizer is more in lettering
the mechanical condition of the soil by
the organic matter supplied, than as a
! direct source of the elements of plant
| food. Where used in the stable, the
readiness with which they absorb the
liquid manure must be considered.
While not making so good bed, the
stalks decompose more rapidly, and
therefore produce better mechanical
effect, and we regard them as better
absorbent, and for this reason would
improve your land more rapidly.
HOW TO COMPOST.
Kindly answer the following in your
next issue:
l. Don't you thing the following form
ula good fertilizer for cotton, when
pounds of stable manure or 900 pounds
of swamp litter, 200 pounds acid phos-
phate, 100 pounds kainit, 900 pounds
phate, 100 pounds kainit?
potash and not enough nitrogen? How
may lessen amount of potash and in
crease nitrogen?
3. Is 500 pounds to the acre on poor
land the first year a sufficient amount :?
a. Can you give me the chemical ele-
ments in well rotted swamp litter?
l. If we are to understand that the
applications of material are to be made
in bulk in the order named, we do not con-
slider it a proper method of composing.
In making compost, the material
should be distributed in layers through
the pile. AS compost, your manure
on this formula does not contain a suffi-
Gent amount of phosphoric acid, and the
amount of this element should be in
creased by an additional amount of acid
phosphate. For ordinary worn land we
do not consider that the formula gives
an extra amount of potash. The amount
of nitrogen, if you wish to increase it, is