Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1894-08-24
Renovating Wornout Lands

Alta recent meeting of the Evansville Farm
ers' Club of Prince Georges county, Md,
the question under discussion being "'rhe
best method of renovating and improving
wornout lands" the following method, rec.
commended by Mr. VIM. s. Powell, Presi-
dent OF the Powell Fertilizer and Chemical
Company of Baltimore, Md, whose expert.
mental farms are located at Annapolis juno.
ton, Md, seems to meet with general ap
probation and is well worth a trial by those
who are endeavoring to make a living" and
Improve the land at the same time. Mr..
Powell said:
"My plan, Mr.. President, based upon
theory and followed out in practice, for the
improvement OF wOrnout lands, is, taking
them as class, these lands have not been
recently cultivated; it follows they are &C.
cupied by bushes, briers and weeds; there
fore grub them in August, as this is the
best month to kill the bushes, rs the sap is
then largely in the body and at its fullest
flow. then break the land up deeply, so
as to turn under completely all the weeds,
to get benefit from these weeds rs green
manures, thus setting in motion what Is
known in chemistry as notification, and
further to bury the weed seeds before they
are sufficiently ripe to terminate, and there
by largely prevent return crop of weeds in
harrow with spring-tooth harrow and
cross-harrow. | then drill with wheat
drill into the soil fertilizer containing only
phosphoric acid and potash This can be
made of acid phosphate and kainit, equal
parts, say 400 pounds to the acre, which
supplies these two elements of plant food
in excess OF what any crop can use. plant
to corn, and under the corn at planting time
l put 100 pounds of fertilizer to the acre ;
\ this is quick acting ammoniated fertilizer,
composed of equal parts Of blood, tankage
per cent. and nitrate of soda which starts
termination quickly and pushes the young
corn ahead fast enough to get it beyond the
cut-worm age.
"Of course, the corn is worked thoroughly
as the season and other farm work will allow.
After the corn is removed l seed with wheat
or rye using fertilizer, 300 pounds to the acre,
which is low in ammonia from bone tankage
| and high in potash from muriate OF potash
and medium quantity of phosphoric acid,
which is gotten partly in reverted state
from the tankage used as an ammoniate,
and 10 a soluble form from acid phosphate
| With the grain SOW half the usual guam.
tity OF timothy. In the spring 100 pounds
of nitrate Of soda to the acre is broadcasted
as soon AS the frost begins to come out of
the land; the balance of the timothy and
cloverseed is sown at the same time. After
the wheat comes off, topdress the young
| clover with 100 pounds OF Nova Scotia plas.
ter to the acre. which helps TO attract and
retain the moisture, thus preventing the
usual killing out OF the young grass in the
August droughts. The next season cut
the grass, but in the fall | topdress with
lime, and repeat the same crops in rotation
until get to good grass stand, then | can
reasonably expect good crop returns. Ii do
not wish to raise the small grain, but recrop
to corn, at the last working of the corn SOW
COW peas, 1 bushels to the acre, in the corn
ground. turn under when fully ripe, max
ing small application OF lime to the plowed
ground in the spring harrow and cross har-
row, drill ng in fertilizer containing only
potash and phosphate acid, as it will not do
TO apply ammoniated fertilizers and lime TO
the same crop, as the lime drives off the am
monIa; In fact, the peas turned under fur
nish ali the ammonia the corn crop needs
~ believe under this plan paying crops
can be raised and land permanently i'm
proved "-Ba!to Weekly Sun.