The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-11-20

IL IS rather funny, after the many
gears | have spent in trying to encour-
"-r me growth OF cow peas in the
~"Hjn. TO note lhat some one who iS
.5t@d OF MS name, and merely sions
".mNef "F. B. from Bunconbe conn
49,. writes TO the Country Gentleman,.
HnMatIng that | do not know any
hing about the Southern pea. bacausa
! aD not agree with the aforesaid oen-
.t.Inah that 1t is necessary to SOW Two
or 'hfee bushels per acre. This f. B.
"oe~ on TO say that if | was better no
uuainted With the farmers of nv own
State | would find that they SOW two
or three bushels of peas per acre. The
chances are that 1 know and am
.HoWn by hundred farmers in North
carolina 10 every one this Z. b. knows
htlrr a man has for eleven Years been
writing thousands of letters Annually
tu he farmers Of the State travelling
.H every county in the State and lee
Iurn@ to the farmers and talking with
tH,m by the thousands. it is exceed
IugiE amusing to be told by a man uD
iu the mountain country, who evident
Is came there from the North that T
ann not acquainted with North Caro-
lua farmers, and do not know how to
sow peas. Now if there is anv one in
+h. State who wishes 10 SOW two or.
tfTee bushels OF peas per acre he has
ii perfect right to do it. but when a
man states iii an agricultural paper for
15,. Information OF inexperienced men
that il is necessary to sow that amount
per acre, it is Il very different matter
One buShei per acre is commonly
cuuugh. except on very strong land
IS here they are intended as they should
l.r for hay. it would be better to SOW
htl hal TO -prrt lp
stems getting too large and hard to
cure. f. Is. also wonders WHY | do
NOT recommend the Black Eye pea as
81 forage plant, for he thinks its bushy
habit an advantage. 1t is an advan-
fa4e i'm cutting it. but if +. =. prefers
pea that will make 4 ton per acre
or hay To one that viii make three or
#oUr IONS he has Il perfect right to use
II. But every farmer in North Caro-
Ina. except r. b.. tif he is a tarmer)
knows that the Black Eye pea is not
-ay<n for forage. but planted as table
tu-etable and is admirable for this
urpose. but when we grow forage, we
want the heaviest yield of vines, and
rhn Unknown or Wonderful as it is
tllcf will make three times as much
Ha. rrr acre as the Black Eye Will
lMt the Unknown is Il late pea and
will not ripen up in BuncOmbe and SO
r. f. does not know it. +. B. is the
-,cund Northern man in the mountain
country who has undertaken to en-
n.nren the farmers OF the State in re
card to the pea. and what they 90 moi
know about it would bear an enor-
5n,uS proportiOn to what they &c
Hn,>r.
lint the farmers OF North Carolina
know me too we'll to pay much atten
r.ou to scribblerS who dodge in ann
ul-A behind set of initials, and We
uo not think that many Of them WI
Ida. Inclined to waste seed peas at the
-.gacStion Of F. I. or any other anony
u.H., Scribsler. We believe in peas
and n DIenty Of them. but we do no1
believe in extravaganza ON the farm OF
elsewhere. But fortunately there are
s.ue people in North Carolina VINO
.ulike +. b.. of Buncombe. do no
.uow il all yet, and, therefore, 1nlhk
Iag that [ may know few things
e,Hle to me for help.
From Ireden county comes an III
oGiry in regard to the culture o
broom corn. The writer wants tt
know all about it, and whether 1t WI
.na" we'll in Iredeli, and on good Dol
.,m Iand will make a good crop
here is no mystery about growing II
-..-"nv one who can grow sorgun cai
.uon. broom corn. But the troubl
comes i'm the preparation for harVes,
..-. the harvesting. curing, and bal
i.y for shipmcnf and if a man llh
n.- had experience in these, ana M
.ut the needed buildings for the 1ul
..-c he. had better let broom corr
".onc unless he wants merely TO gro
r.auuh for home use. for the chance
.... that the present high price
Ir.a,t corn will lac Temporary, and b.
sine. t.lgr be ,,ets fixed up for HANDING
'.. crop the price will be down ;
"H t6ut he viii wish for five cent COZ
.." 10 take its place.
From CaaWba county comes III y
'..rN as to the proper method Oh uS
..r citrate, Of soda on straw :,
tw.tc Of soda furnishes but q SilS
Of plant food, nitrogen ana 1h'
.uH a readily available form III"
..uld never be applied except Wilr
. plants are in growing stare.
.....,l during the dormant season
...r.r. the nitrate will be all waste
t.r of the soil before the plants ca
.# r.. Nitrate Of soda is good al
r1c.tian to strawberries which bay
|"# 20 complete fertilizer in the fal
.r he purpose of starting them .
.amouslr. But il should not De ai
...d loo heavily. as it will nave :s .
penney TO make the fruit solt' ana
'u be shipped, this will be ue.i -
".u1. Just as growth begins W =
spring. a dressing Of 80 POUNDS ~
'.rn viii help the crop very ~ H. =,
#"""Id be sprinl<Ied alongside !.
,""+ and care must be taken lo'
"t Is touch the leaves when wei W.
'"'. as it will scorch them.
~urry county lady writes that :
constant reader OF the le1ter"
.|'" for the press a.
".~ them helpful. she =,
We're very succesSlui -,
season with sweet potatoes
----ul was ploughed very deeP, -