The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-06-10
WO[N[MWF THERMOMETER


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energy. which will be largely devoted to
the making of ears rather than stalks
In an article in this issue on velvet
beans, a wonderful example of the power
of the leguminous crops to help the corn
crop is shown. In the experiment there
described, both velvet beans and Soy
beans vWere demonstrated to be more eff
fective as fertilizers for the cron crop
than even a complete commercial ferti-
lizer The experiment once more proved
what we have so often asserted-that the
use of commercial fertilizers on the corn
crop is rarely profitable They may, and
often dc. increase the yield, but rarely
sufficiently so to pay for the cost of the
fertilizer. If farmers, instead of spend
ing money on fertilizer for the corn crop,
would now SOW solvent beans. Soy beans
peas on land intended to be put
into corn next year, giving an application
Of 200 or 500 pounds of acid phosphate
to the acre if the land is poor and then
in the fall. after the crop is fairly ma
tured plow down the crop or take off
the vines for hay, leaving a. tall stubble
and then apply twenty-five bushels of
lime to the acre and harrow in and seed
with mixture of Crimson clover,
VetchcS and wheat or winter oats they
would secure a winter and spring pas
turc and better preparation for q corn
crop than with the application in the
spring of 800 pounds of complete fertili-
ger to the acre.
Germ for the silo should be planted
during this month. Ia planting for this
purpose do not plant too thickly. Room
sufficient should be given to allow Of the
plant making a perfect growth and be-
coming fairly matured and carrying
fair proportion of good ears. Rows three
feet apart and the plants eight or ten
inches apart in the row will make a crop
that will give the best returns when fed.
If overcrowded. the crop will be merely
watery stalks without ears, and will
make poor sour silage. good many
farmers now grow peas with their silagc
corn. These climb up the stalks and add
considerably to the yield and at the
same time make the silage a better feed,
being more nearly balanced. Soy beans
make a good crop to- mix with the corn
when being cut into the slo. They may
be grown either with the corn or as
separate crop. If grown with the corn,
the corn should be planted further apart
in the rows than We have suggested or
the beans Will not make much growth.
The best plan is TO grow the Soy beans
as a separate crop, planting them in
rows two feet six inches apart and about
six or eight inches apart in the rows.
The crop should be cut at the same time
as tho Germ and be mixed as run into
the silo. Wherever two or three diff
ferent crops are used for siage, they
should be mixed and not be put into
the silo in separate layers Mr.. Jones
of Fluyanna, reports TO US that he tried
sweet potato vines as an enslage crop.
but that the ensilage spoiled. He did not
mix them with the corn. but put them
III the silC alone near the top. We believe
that if they bad been mixed with the
corn. that they would have cured all
right. We know that peas and sofa
/ beans Will do So In our next issue will
say something as to the building of a
Sit0.
The average crops about which Wrott
in our last issue should be got into the
ground as soon as possible. that they
may have time to make good growth and
become fairly matured before cutting
and vet have good weather for curing
4 We refer our readers TO our last issue
for further irforma ton a S to these crops
Keep the cotton and tobacco crops
! growing by frequent cultivation, and SOW
/ cow peas in the cotton crop when cul-
! tiyating the last time. In this way the
/ land can be improved ard some feed can
! be made.
The harvesting of the wheat and oat
4 crops will call for attention before our
next ;sGue reaches our readers. See to
it that the Binder is in good repair and
working order a week two before It is
likely to be needed and if any repairs
! are needed or likely to be wanted, have
them ordered and on hand. MANY a good
| crop has been largely lost whilst waiting
for repairs. 1t is always we'll to have
duplicate PARTS on hand of the parts
| most subject to wear and strain. Do not
let the wheat crop stand until overripe
/ before commencing to cut 1T. When
overripe much grain is lost in the hand
ling, and the sample is never so fine as
when cut Just before being dead ripe
/ When harveSting see that the shocks
are well made, that they Will turn a
COED rain There is much art in building
a shock so that It viii turn rain. ard
! only hands who have lad experience and
can do the work properly should be put
to do this work. Have all the grain cut
during the day shocked up before leaving
the feII.
\ Wheat and cat stubbles not seeded with
( grass OF clover should be run over with
/. the CutaWay or Disc harrow as soon as
. cleared of the grain, or the narrow may
be run between the shock rows. Sow the
fields with Crimson clever and NetchHS
or with q miXturc Of these ana rap" or
ttrnipS, or crop Of COW peas 20 De cu
fo, h3y NAV b. grown. In thus way q
large addition can Ee made 10 IN" IeHi
CT the farm and the fertility q tht ifth''
no conserved instead Of being wasted
in growing a crop Of weeds. II seeded
With grass or clover, see 10 II 'hdI th'
mover is run over the fields as soon as
the weeds have put up ana coihin'iife"
to flower and thus prevent ne PIos>"e-
tien Of a croo Of weed SEED. h'9t "'''l
-, i -. ,,,nnu = fnn stand