The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-04

IL will not run off, and when soaked In the
soil the dry dirt can be replaced around
the plants. This is a much better plan
than wetting a little on top. and is only
necessary TO repeat every eight or twelve
days.
Clean Pastures.-There seems TO
be general disposition to al
low the pastures to take care of
themselves. There is as a rue no attempt
made to keep down the weeds, and by a
little attention of this sort encourage a
better growth of grass. At this season of
the year, nineteen out Of twenty pastures
are producing a good crop of weeds, and
while some grass exists on them, it cannot
be seen for the weeds that in many places
are nearly as high as the cattle grazing
among them. The result is that very lit
tie grass is able TO grow on account of the
weeds shading 1t, and robbing the soil of
the plant food which should go to produce
a growth of grass. But this Is not all. for
good milk and butter free from faint from
weed haVors is exceedingly rare. That
great curse to southern pastures, "bitter
weed,' has taken such firm possession of
our pastures that the question OF pre-
venting 1t from completely running them
is well worthy of consideration Certain
ly this pest should be checked in It's spread
IL possible A good practice which few
seem to follow would be to run a mover
cost of doing so would be slight, while
the gain in grass by checking the growth
of weeds would more than pay for the
trouble. We can call to mind having seen
but one pasture that has been moved this
year. The bitter weed being thick, II
had been cut and raked up and thrown into
bitches by the roadside The best pan to
dispose of the weeds after they have been
cut is to rake them while green, so that the
seeds will not scatter. and pile them In
heaps until dry and then burn.
The Practical Farmer replies to two
questions as follows:
Salt on Asparagus.-Do you think that
salt is beneficial for asparagus. / have
more than an acre of this vegetable. and
It does not do well? How much salt should
1 apply?
| greatly doubt that salt Is of the least
bit more benefit to asparagus than to any
other crop. 1t is true that asparagus will
stand heavier applications of II than do
most other vegetable plants; in fact
don't know whether il be easy to kill or
hurt the asparagus plant by even the
heaviest dressings of salt and we might
use enough of the latter to kill all weed
growth without affecting the asparagus
unfavorably. And yet this does not signi-
fly that asparagus needs salt, or would be
benefited by its application. If the soil
contains plant-foods which are not readily
available and which the presence of salt.
through chemical reaction, would render
soluble or available, then the application
of salt would be of material help to the
asparagus. as 1t would in like manner be
of material help to any other crop on the
same ground. In other words, / believe
that the only benefit that can be expected
from the use Of salt, is an indirect one, and
only through Its chemical action upon ma
terials already in the soil.
How to Apply Fertilizers for Celery
Last year we put the fertilizers under the
rows of celery. Do you think IL would do
better IL applied between the rows?
Our commercial fertilizers represent
plant foods in highly concentrated forms.
We cannot feed our plants on them in the
same way as we would feed a horse on
oats. by putting the fertilizer before them
In heap. ] believe that for best results,
we should always try to mix all manurial
substances all through the soil where the
roots and rootlets can. forage and find the
nourishment they need. Celery, to grow
as 1t should, and If expected to be profit
able, or do its best, must have all the plant
food that 1t needs right along. II would
be folly to just give IL a start by put
ting fertilizers just under the roots, and
then afterward let 1t shift for itself, in
soil that Is insuficiently supplied with
plant food. The better way would be to
scatter the fertilizer on the ground broad
cast, If the rows are not over two feet
apart or If single rows are planted wide
apart, in the old-fashioned way in a
band, say a foot WIDE on each side Of
the row. BY the due process of tillage.
The plant foods Will be worked down into
the soil where the roots can get hold of
them, and rains, or artificial applications
of water will also help to this end.