The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-10-18
IMPROVED COTTON CULTURE.
Hy th- h.d of Cowpeas, Crimson Glover,
Potash and PhospIatcs.

Hy th- h.d of Cowpeas, Crimson Glover,
Potash Hnd P~hosphatcs.
Tho cowpca has long hold II foremost
place among the important loguminous
crops grown for the restoration of south
orn lands. Within the past five years
another crop has been introduced that
promises to be the greatest aid and ally
OF the cowpca for the southern farmer
that has yet been tested. This is the
nnuai winter growing clover, now
known rs crimson clover. There is no
pant thai fits III So we'll with the dow
pea as IA forage crop for the south, or as
n r~onova'icS crop, says W. j.. Massey,
the practical farmer and helpful writer
VINO has been urging the merits Of this
clover Tor some time upon not only the
cotton farmers. hut others rs well. In u
recent communication 10 the Texas
Farm and Ranch Mr.. Massey cites the
instance Of Il South Carolina Turner
whose farm was run down under tho
one crop system. He used literally pot
ash salts and dissolved phosphate rock
ANA sowcd the land down TO crimson
clover in August. In April following
the clover WAS in full bloom and made
II large crop Of hay, which was oil in
time TO plant cotton. Planted on tho
clover sod, without any other manure.
the Young cotton made "A rich. rank
growth. Here VIC sec tho effect of ono
we'll fortified crop of crimson clover,
the hay from which fully paid all cx-
pensc of fertilizers III giving u good
crop without further fertilization. No
In lls fr- ,nl,,4 ,,1.,, 4,..,1,,-,- - -. Is-i.
price to be paid ont of that cotton. This
shows that the true way To f~crtiliac for
sale crops Is to use the cheaper forms of
mineral plant food to grow Il heavy crop
of the plants ,hnt are going to capture
for us the nitrogen that costs 50 much
i'll II complete fertilizer, and thu; not
only get II heavy forage crop to feed for
tho making of Il profit out of stock and
To make u manure pile larger. but
thus fix nitrogen in the land for tho sue
c~eoding crop of cotton or corn. Mr..
Massey adds:
Cowpcas and crimson clover, with n
liberal use of the cheap potash and plos-
pirates, lie at the very foundation of all
rational farm improvement i'll the south.
by their aid the land need never. either
III winter or summer, he left 10 the vast
ing Of rains and sun hy wing bare. hut
between every hUcd crop may he covered
with a growth to yield profit while it
gathers fertility for tho land and food
for tho sale crops. But it must not be
:Ssnhed that these crops Will bring all
the clements of fertility to u soil that
has hccn exhausted by long tillagc aud
exposure To the teaching effects of rain
and sun. II You want the best results
from the action of the lcpuminouS crops.
YOU must feed them. They will gather
nitrogen for You free, but they cannot
get the potash and p~hosphoric acid that
the crops of former years have taken
away from the soil. and without these
are given thcm they cannot get the nj
troscn they would with Il well develop
cd growth, and you will not only use
the hay crop they would give, In, the
effect ON the soil for subsequent crops.
Nothing from nothing aud nothing re-
mains.
1t will pay iar better TO put a liberal
dressing OF the cheap mineral fertilizers
on the pea and clover craly than to mt
tho same money value in a high grade
fertilizer ON the cotton crop direct.